Seven-time MLA from here, Ranendra Pratap (Raja) Swain got a Ministerial berth in Naveen Patnaik's fifth-time Government.
The people of Athagarh are excited and observing the occasion by blasting crackers and taking out rallies. Swain has been reigning supreme over hearts of the masses of Athagarh since 1990.
He defeated stalwart like former Chief Minister and Athagarh MLA JB Patnaik for which he was able to get a Ministerial berth in Naveen Government in 2000. Even though he was elected repeatedly from here, he was betrayed by the ruling BJD due to his inaccessibility with the bureaucrats. This time when he defeated his nearby contestant Brajendra Ray,a BJP candidate here in about 58,000 votes, he seemed to deserve a Ministerial berth. When he got a phone call from CM office to take oath as a Cabinet Minister, the people of Athagarh were excited and thanked Naveen Patnaik for giving proper justice to Athagarh-Tigiria Assembly constituency.
He is called the epoch maker as he has already completed thirty years of representation from here and this time again has been elected for another term when he has taken oath as Minister for serving as Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare and Co-operation.
Talking to this paper, Swain said he is not only the representative of the people of Athagarh-Tigiria but he is their pioneer servant.
