The newly appointed Odisha governor’s remarks that he would work to increase the Bharatiya Janata Party’s vote share have sparked a political row in the state.
Ram, a former BJP MP from Jharkhand, was appointed as the Odisha governor on Monday. Speaking to PTI a day after his appointment, he said he would work to activate the BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha and increase the party’s vote share.
“I will see the situation there and will connect people, activate our morcha and organisation and think how BJP will get votes,” Ram told PTI.
“The party has recognised an ordinary worker like me,” the news agency quoted him as saying. “Even after being denied a ticket, we continued to work honestly and actively for the party.”
He added that some leaders leave for another party after being denied a ticket, but that he continued to work for the BJP even after being denied a ticket three times.
Ram also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him the “appropriate constitutional position”.
On Wednesday, the Opposition Biju Janata Dal said that it was “shocked” by Braj Mohan Ram’s comments, Hindustan Times reported.
“We condemn the remark as it negates the fact that the governor is above party politics,” the Biju Janata Dal said in...