India, June 9 -- As the Mohan Charan Majhi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha marks its first anniversary on June 12, its first year has been marked by ambitious initiatives, a focus on accessibility, and a deliberate attempt to erase the shadow of the Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) long rule amid several unresolved challenges.

Majhi, a Santhali tribal from mineral rich Keonjhar district and a former school teacher with RSS background, was a surprise choice for the post of chief minister as BJP ended the 24-year BJD reign under Naveen Patnaik on the promise of "Odia Asmita" (Odia pride) and a break from the bureaucratic dominance of the BJD era. A year later, Majhi has delivered on some of the promises made by his party while...