Samikhsya Bureau
The most interesting yet surprising feature of the electoral politics in Odisha, as anywhere else, is that the spurts of outbursts against the party one is in once one is denied a ticket or get an inkling about not getting one. Either big or small, political leaders across board suffer from this complex of inferiority once unsure about the day next.
A question that might lurk in many minds that, is a position like a legislator or a parliamentarian, is it a government job that you cannot be denied to contest before a certain period?
After all, today’s politics heavily rests on n number of factors where change sometimes become a compulsion where winning prospects of a candidate cannot be ignored. These days in Odisha or rather in the state capital Bhubaneswar the scene is like a railway platform at each party headquarters or in the vicinity of party leaders that presents a peculiar mix of anxiety, hope, expectation and of course despair.
It can be seen a leader walking in with all the jubilation and coming out with a face full of frown and ferocity to avenge the insult. Insult if you are asked to give the space for someone else. In matter of seconds the leaders’ loyalty evaporates and he or she starts heaping abuses on the ‘corruption ridden party’ once was so dear to him. A scene which manifest surprises, heartbreaks, betrayals and ultimately rebellion. That is the common feature of electoral politics in the city.
The political scenario in Odisha is heading for major surprises and virtual topsy-turvy turnarounds and this is bound to happen for reasons more than one.
Damodar Rout, veteran politician and former associate of Biju Patnaik, joining the BJP must be only a beginning. But a surprise – if it unfolds according to some hints – would be really big if BJD chief and state chief minister Naveen Patnaik chooses to give ticket to a new face from Cuttack.
The BJD chief has signalled major changes by announcing that he will field one-third women candidates for 21 Lok Sabha seats.
That means – seven women candidates – this would automatically bring in new faces. But one twist in the tale has already come when broad hints have been given that three women MPs of Biju Janata Dal – Sakuntala Laguri (Keonjhar), Rita Tarai (Jajpur) and Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh (Kandmahal) may not be repeated this time.
Party insiders say the three women MPs met the chief Minister in Bhubaneswar but their party supremo simply gave them a hearing but made no assurance of repeating them.
Sources also said sitting Kandmahal MP Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh, wife of former Kandhamal MPHemendra Chandra Singh, has also evinced interest to contest from one of the assembly seats in under the Lok Sabha constituency, preferably Nayagarh.
The assembly segment of Nayagarh is now being represented by Arun Sahu, who was dropped from cabinet by the chief minister last year.
Veteran parliamentarian Bhartruhari Mahtab has been representing Cuttack since 1998 but the grapevine in corridors of power in Bhubaneswar is that the BJD chief may like to give ‘electoral rest’ to five-time MP and opt for a greenhorn for the prestigious seat.
Sources, however, say this does not necessarily mean Patnaik’s displeasure with Mahtab, as both enjoy good rapport and that would mean the latter, who was also awarded best parliamentarian award by Lok Sabha, may shift to the Upper House.
Naveen Patnaik’s decision to opt for ‘change’ formula is also guided by his stance that he will not like to repeat those leaders who have got embroiled in the chit fund scandals.
BJD Rajya Sabha MP Anubhav Mohanty, actor-turned-politician and two others may be also fielded in this year’s elections – either Lok Sabha or state assembly polls. In such an event, vacancy will be automatically created in the House of Elders.
Naveen Patnaik is reportedly also toying with the idea of fielding party’s Rajya Sabha member Pratap Keshari Deb from Kendrapara against turncoat Baijayant Panda, who recently joined BJP. The former minister Damodar Raut’s jumping the ship has also given a major indication that several important leaders may follow suit.
On Thursday, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi quit BJD. The decision comes after indications that he may be denied ticket to contest the ensuing polls. Majhi’s chances of going to Congress seems remote as Pradip Majhi is an established player in that party and thus he too could be too keen to take on the saffron scarf like the Kendrapara lawmaker Baijayant Panda. There are also talks of a former BJP lawmaker M. A. Kharabela Swain, who had quit the saffron party, may make a comeback and again fielded from Balasore.
Former Union minister Braja Tripathi may also join the BJP and is likely to be fielded from Puri Lok Sabha, sources said in the state capital. The announcement of four phases of election schedule – a first in the history of the state – by the Election Commission has already evoked criticism from certain quarters.
What comes out clear that the BJP may soon be a big star-studded rehab centre if such predictions go right. Whether it is Tripathy, Swain or Majhi or anyone from the ilk of the rubbished lot, for the BJP the task may get much more challenging to assuage the turn-coats who arrogate to themselves as leaders next to none.
Because, it is not Delhi but the state unit where either Amit Shah or Narendra Modi could play the monitor roles in case of an out-pour of difference by these leaders who try to sport overdose of self-esteem usually.
There is no further need of repeating here that the BJP in Odisha goes on minus the mention of any chief ministerial candidate although Dharmendra Pradhan still remains its poster boy.
