Orissa dissappointed with Cabinet expansion,as only Srikant Jena included as MoS

Breakingnewsonline.net, 28th May, 2009

24/7 News network : Orissa, which sent 6 Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, was neglected again during tomorrow's scheduled Cabinet expansion.Only Balasore MP Srikant Jena was included as the Minister of State - a relegation for him, as he served as a Cabinet Minister with most important portfolios - Parliamentary Affairs and Department of Tourism during the tenure of former PM I K Gujral in 1989-91.

Former Railway Minister Bhakta Charan Das, who won by a huge margin from underdeveloped Kalahandi district in the state, was ignored, even as he was a strong contender to be a Minister in Dr.Manmohan Singh's cabinet.Mr. Bhakta Charan Das's exclusion came as a shock and surprise for many in the state.

During the 2004 general elections, Congress had just 2 Lok Sabha MPs in Orissa. However, this time around, the party did reasonably well and won Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Balasore, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Bargarh.People in Orissa, expected to be rewarded with atleast 2 berths including a Cabinet Minister. But that did not happen.