Pradeep Kumar Jena, former Chief Secretary of Odisha, has been elected as the new President of the prestigious Bhubaneswar Club. Jena defeated his closest rival, former Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy, by a margin of 18 votes. This year, the club saw a 74% voter turnout, reflecting strong engagement from its members.
Other Key Election Results
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Vice President: Pragati Mohanty won by a margin of 60 votes.
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Editor: Retired IPS officer Lalit Das emerged victorious with 76 votes.
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Joint Editor: Sambit Mohanty secured the post by 68 votes.
A total of 1,774 members exercised their voting rights, highlighting the club’s active participation.
Voting Process and E-Voting
The Bhubaneswar Club elections were conducted over the weekend, with different positions voted on Saturday and Sunday. E-voting was held for members who could not physically attend, accounting for around 596 votes. In e-voting, Asit Tripathy led with 257 votes, slightly ahead of Pradeep Jena. Sunday’s in-person voting ultimately decided the final outcome.
IAS Showdown: Two Former Chief Secretaries Face Off
This election marked a high-profile contest between two former Chief Secretaries of Odisha. Asit Tripathy, a 1986-batch IAS officer, was contesting for the third time as club president, having previously held the position twice. Pradeep Jena, 1989-batch IAS officer and former Chairman of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission, was contesting for the club presidency for the first time. Both have served as Chief Secretary under the Naveen Patnaik government—Tripathy in 2019 and Jena in 2023.
Reactions from the Winners
Pradeep Kumar Jena expressed gratitude after his victory:
“I thank everyone for their support. Asit Tripathy and his team gave a good fight. Within 10 days, my panel successfully contested the election, and I will fulfill the promises we made. This is my second election victory, the first being as a magazine editor during my college days in Kendujhar.”
Lalit Das, elected as Editor, added:
“Thanks to all the voters. We are a new team and will bring positive changes according to our manifesto. This is the best election experience I have had after contesting several times in the past.”
Even the defeated presidential candidate, Asit Tripathy, showed sportsmanship:
“We are all members of one family at the club. After the election, we will work together as brothers. I will fully cooperate with Pradeep, the new President, and my team members elected as Vice President, Joint Secretary, and other office-bearers will also extend their support.”
Bhubaneswar Club Leadership 2025
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President: Pradeep Kumar Jena
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Vice President: Pragati Mohanty
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Editor: Lalit Das
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Joint Editor: Sambit Mohanty