Naveen Patnaik Resigns After 24-Year Rule as Odisha CM

Naveen Patnaik, the BJD supremo, stepped down as the Chief Minister of Odisha after his party's defeat in the state assembly elections, ending a 24-year tenure in the role.

In a historic turn of events, Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday resigned from his position as Chief Minister of Odisha, marking the end of a 24-year tenure. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader submitted his resignation to Governor Raghubar Das at Raj Bhavan.

Despite a significant number of party supporters gathered at his residence, Patnaik chose to go alone to the Governor's house to tender his resignation. He waved at the awaiting journalists but refrained from making any statements before leaving.

The resignation follows the BJD's defeat in the recent assembly elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 78 out of 147 seats, compared to BJD's 51. Patnaik had initially assumed office as Chief Minister on March 5, 2000.