Jual Oram, (53)
Constituency: Sundargram (Odisha)
Ministry: Tribal Affairs
The sole BJP winner from Odisha, he defeated former hockey captain Dilip Tirkey and former CM Hemanand Biswal. A grassroots leader, Oram was India’s first tribal affairs minister in the Vajpayee ministry (1999-2004).
Born in a poor tribal family, he worked with BHEL as an engineer before quitting to enter politics. He joined BJP in 1989 and has consistently won assembly and LS elections since 1990, barring the 2009 polls.
Has a rapport with all senior BJP leaders including Advani, Modi and Rajnath.
