Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday assigned specific responsibilities to his MLAs to ensure that the party plays the role of an effective Opposition in the state Assembly.

Naveen is now the Leader of the Opposition.

A BJD media release said: “Opposition has a special role to play in a democracy and should keep a watchful eye on the activities of the government. To ensure this and raise pertinent issues in the state Assembly, the party president has assigned departments to party MLAs to keep a track."

The state Assembly will go into session on July 22. This will be the first time that the new BJP government will face the Opposition in the Assembly. The budget will be placed on July 25.

"The departments have been assigned to the MLAs for close monitoring, Assembly interventions and other issues relating to the department,” the BJD media release said.

The party further said: “The Opposition works as a watchdog of public interests in a democracy. The Opposition has a big role to play in the Assembly. It will keep a close watch on the performances of various departments of the state government and actively participate in the discussion in the Assembly.

"The party will also fight to protect the rights of the people and interests of the state and voice their concerns. Accordingly, the Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has given responsibility to 50 elected members of BJD to monitor various programmes of the departments.” The MLAs include former ministers.

After 24 years in power, the BJD is going to play the role of the Opposition. Now all eyes are set on Naveen who is going to play the role of the Leader of the Opposition for the first time in his political career. At present, the BJD has 51 MLAs in the state Assembly.

Sources said the BJD would take a tough stand on various issues and not allow the BJP to have a cakewalk in the Assembly.