By D.N. Singh
Closer comes the 2019 General Elections there is a palpable high palpitation among a sizable number of leaders of the Biju Janata Dal for certain reasons. And during the election times the media finds itself unwittingly playing a major role in image building or otherwise to see a leader in jeopardy.
Media adds even to the problem by describing, sometimes, any tin-pot operator as leader or under compelling circumstances reducing a leader to tin pot operator . Man who has not touched the threshold of politics finds one fine morning pitchforked to the pulpit of political stage. And it happens not out of any colossal ignorance of the top leadership of a party but again due to circumstances.
Going by a recent chatter in the political circles, image conscious BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik has in mind that some of his leaders are mired in disreputable controversies like the Ponzi scam hanging like a Damocles’ sword. Which has already wounded some and ready to target a few more. If that is going to be the yardstick set by Naveen Patnaik then the latter may find it challenging as how to safeguard those bastions, so far, well in the hold of leaders now facing the Ponzi scam blot.
There are a good number of such leaders who may be put to a dead end situation to either remain on the side lines and see their kin in the middle to avoid a forestalling of their political inning. Former ministers like Arun Sahu, Atanu Sabhasachi Naik, Debi Prasad Mishra and a few more unconfirmed names of leaders are in the quick sand. This besides the ones who had already suffered the humiliation of being jailed for their Ponzi links. A bunch of necessary evils that Patnaik can neither gulp in nor puke.
May be hypothetical to make any claim in this regard with any certitude, yet in an unenviable situation where Naveen Patnaik is, such a step may be inevitable .So many barbs like much touted 19 years of ‘ misrule’ and so on and on, he may use this tool of transparency to ward off any decline of image preferring to an indifference with the leader.
In that eventuality Naveen Patnaik or anyone in his place may look for the recourse to placate the leaders, who may be barred from getting tickets, by adjusting any of their kin to play the second fiddle.
Regardless of the preparedness and popularity etc it is going to be an uphill task for Naveen who now flexes to cross a barbed wire fence made of alleged ‘misrule’, monopoly’ and anti-incumbency.
