By D.N. Singh
On the run up to the pre-electioneering the sideline chorus has never been atrophied by any such listlessness in earlier years. To reminisce that denial of a chance to fight again had ever led to such kind of violent uproar was very rare in the past. A community that is mandated to law-making mechanism can allow their constitutional right of protest to a pedestrian low was also rare those days.
When the Biju Janata Dal released its first list for two phases, the hell broke lose kind of situation erupted. Three members of parliament and and five legislators left the BJD and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. A situation came that left the BJD dumb-stuck for days, leaving the think-tanks for a relook at the drawing board.
Then, perhaps, the party in a bid to reconcile with the situation held back the plan to release the subsequent list and adopted a wait and watch tactics and has kept the names for 9 Lok sabha seats on hold.
Release of candidate list by the Congress, the fallout was no less restive. Several wings raised the banners of protest and leaders of Tara Prasad Bahinipati’s seniority also expressed their reservations against the leadership on selection of candidates.In some places like Nilgiri and other places the situation led to practical violence on the ground .
Scene in the BJP, contrary to this party’s claim of allegiance to the central leadership, was indeed chaotic. Even in the places like Bhubaneswar the blaze of protest is far from over. Sloganeering apart, the State headquarter here has turned to an agitation venue with one after other groups of supporters of leaders denied of tickets have locked the main gate of the main office. The scene has not changed as yet.
But what seems lacking is the effort by the respective leadership of the parties to douse such fires of anger so far. It is scene of weary disgust everywhere and for the people who matter the most in this ‘biggest festival of democracy’ this, in general, is a kind of political contagion they never expect to digest .
