By D.N. Singh
Barely a month after the election process, the political heat and dust has nearly settled down giving way to a phase of sobriety. Opponents are dusting off the poll days’ polemics and seem indulging in for a climate of bonhomie again.
Most significant of all is the parity between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik as both of them have completely given up the hiccups of pre-poll period, apparently, paving the ways for a conducive working atmosphere in the days to come in which, Cyclonic Fani, which had hit Odfisha badly, had played a catalyst role in the PM-CM goodwill exercise.
Almost a day after the oceanic storm, Modi was sportive enough to fly into Odisha and apply balm through cash and kind succour. What, in fact, was more like a healing capsule, was the PM’s praise for the Odisha chief minister for latter’s commendable way of handling the pre- and post-cyclone responsibilities.
That was a paradigm shift from bygone days’ barbing to sooth sayings. Then Patnaik went to Delhi and met the prime minister which was mainly, as some political observers believe, a relationship refreshing exercise. Because, just days after assuming the office for the 5th time as the chief minister, there were hardly any compelling reasons to go all the way to reiterate the old demands like Special Category Status and seeking for a constructive ground for the future.
No time was allowed to go in waste and then the chief minister was found engaged in a very warm and cordial meeting with his biggest political bête noire Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, exchanging bouquets.
The meeting has obviously raised a few eyebrows. Pradhan who does not have a firm electoral footing in Odisha, except that he has been unofficially painted by the central leadership as the poster boy in the state, may also prefer not to walk against the headwinds from the ruling party here all the time.
It is all about political exigencies those lead to unexpected yet pleasant twists. Experts in the field would have us believe that Pradhan must have realised the compulsions that the duo, Modi and Patnaik, are under, and under no circumstances either of the two would prefer a combative approach towards each other at present.
What is normally seen is that Patnaik has come under the scourge of opponents more because of his own leaders than reasons relating to him. For example, in the case of chit-fund scam some of the leaders in the BJD did play foul and for which the party had to suffer. A suffering that still haunts.
Similarly, few scams in the past like ‘dal’ scam or other such instances of criminal nature involving leaders like Pradeep Maharathy came as a smudge on his image. Which the political observers see as a Damocles sword hanging on the BJD.
Besides that during the NDA 2, it was the BJD, which provided the cover-fire on many occasions in and outside Parliament defending the Modi-led government. And after the recent polls Patnaik has proved his mettle by outsmarting the Modi mania. As regards the BJP in Odisha, Patnaik has shown Pradhan and his people their place.
However, now the situation is bit different after the BJP bagging a brute majority in the Lok Sabha. Obviously, it would not be the same situation when the BJP would look for a shoulder to walk on.
But, politics is often fraught with uncertainties. What can’t be lost sight of is the change in the attitude of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has, in more than one occasion, made his displeasure open over the non-inclusion of JD(U) MPs in the new council of ministers at the Centre in the cabinet rank.
Kumar has dubbed it as ‘ symbolic’ that indirectly presupposes that anytime he can get disenchanted with the alliance. That must be a fear looming over the NDA and to keep the BJD in good humor remains a compulsion for the former as regards the number game in the Rajya Sabha is concerned.
But, all said and done, the relations between Modi and Patnaik has cooled down to a point where there shall be lesser occasions for the state BJP leaders to attack the perfidy, if any, of the BJD nor the latter would allow its ranks to overshoot the limits towards any widespread discord between the two.
