New Odisha Governor who stirred a row: Who is BJP veteran Brajmohan Ram?

Brajmohan Ram, a BJP veteran from Jharkhand, has been appointed as the Governor of Odisha, a state ruled by the same party. This move has sparked controversy, as the Opposition parties have raised concerns about his impartiality. Ram, a Scheduled Caste (SC) leader, has stated that he aims to "work to get more votes for the BJP" and further activate the party's SC Morcha. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress have questioned his neutrality.

Ram, a Scheduled Caste (SC) leader, has a distinguished political background. He has been an MLA, a three-time Member of Parliament, and held various organizational roles within the BJP, including serving as the president of the Vananchal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Morcha in Ranchi. Born in a family of agricultural workers in Palamu, Jharkhand, Ram completed his BA from Lohardaga's B S College.

He began his political career at the local level, becoming the BJP's block president in Chandwa in 1990 and subsequently winning a seat in the Bihar Assembly. He represented Palamu in the Lok Sabha from 1996 to 2004.

Despite not receiving election tickets for several years, Ram remained connected to the BJP's grassroots activities. In 2014, he sought an Assembly election ticket but was initially denied due to allegations of links with a banned Leftist outfit. However, the BJP replaced him with Ram on the last day of nominations. Ram has three sons and is married to Leela Devi, whom he married in 1979.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing football, badminton, and carrom. The new Governor of Odisha will take charge at the Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.