Union Minister Jual Oram, beacon of tribal leadership of Odisha BJP, decides to quit electoral politics

Bhubaneswar, July 12 (UNI) Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and veteran BJP leader Jual Oram, widely regarded as the saffron party’s tribal face in the state where scheduled tribes constitute 22.5 per cent of the population, has decided to quit electoral politics to create space for generation-next aspiring politicians.

Oram, who stands tall as a beacon of tribal leadership of Odisha BJP, had spoken on the same line during the 2024 election campaign, saying that it is his last innings to seek votes.

Emerging victorious from the Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat, he was inducted into the Narendra Modi 3.0 government as a central minister for tribal welfare.

Incidentally, the 64-year-old leader, hailing from the tribal hinterlands of Sundargarh district, holds the distinction of being the country’s first tribal affairs minister, after the carving out of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs under the leadership of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“I will not contest for MP or MLA elections. Still, I will work for the party, and I will continue to dedicate myself to the party’s growth. This is my personal decision. However, if the party compels me to fight the election, I will abide by the party leadership’s direction,” a veteran BJP leader told reporters.

“I have fought Lok Sabha and Assembly elections several times. Thus, youth leadership needs to be given the opportunity to enter into electoral politics. I am trying to avoid direct electoral politics,” he asserted.

“I may go to Rajya Sabha and could become a Governor of a State if the party so desires. I am a six-time MP and two-time MLA and worked for the growth of the party since its inception,” he concluded.
Oram, whose grassroots connections and endearing personal traits have earned respect and love from various quarters, has dominated the political firmament of the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district.

His electoral victories include successive wins from the tribal-dominated Bonai assembly constituency in 1990 and 1995, and a six-term LS MP. Besides, he also headed the Odisha BJP unit in the past.

He also served as the leader of the opposition party from the BJP side in the Odisha legislative assembly.