Samikhsya Bureau
The die is already cast and who knows it better than the Bharatiya Janata Party here in Odisha. Was the state unit really serious, as is Bijoy Mohapatra, whose virtual positioning can be best described as the scene from the epic Mahabharata when Abhimanyu , was left abandoned in a state of helplessness, to defend himself from an internal skirmish. Here the situation reflects itself likewise and Mohapatra was in essence in a similar scene, enemies from within and outside.
If the people of Patkura produce a miracle and vote Mohapatra to victory then it can be a real stunner for all but on the ground the impulses those emanate are bit defeatist for the latter. Given his long innings in electoral politics Mohapatra, regardless of his claims to win, knows where the shoe pinches.
The bigger question is that how many within the BJP were in favour of mandate for Mohapatra ? Insiders in the BJP would have us believe that, a powerful faction in the party had nurtured a predisposion that Mohapatra, if makes it to the Assembly, well that may generate a climate of competition.
Because Mohapatra, they know, is not a political quantity to be happy being on the side lines of politics. Which was evident even during his days under late Biju Patnaik’s Janata Dal regime when Mohapatra was rumoured to be the next in the hierarchy after Biju babu.
It was a different matter that Mohapatra failed to balance his political acumen and fell flat post the passing away of Biju babu. Perhaos, he was consumed by over ambitions and his dreams crashed mid-way.
Now Mohapatra is in an unenviable situation and the volumes of pep-talks from the BJP leaders appear bereft of the honesty the time needed.
Look at the orchestrated admission by few leaders from a batch of BJP leaders, led by one Lekhashree Samanta Singhar, playing the victim card even as barely 24 hours to go for the result of Patkura.
It was a role-reversal by the BJP, blaming about huge manipulation of the EVMs and a reasoning which was dubbed baseless during the last general election when BJP romped back with a mighty number in the Parliament.
