Virtually few hours left for the announcement of the election schedules for 2019 by the Election Commission of India, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik made a history by announcing 33 percent reservation for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The timing and the vision behind the announcement is not only a pioneering step politically but Patnaik, by this step has left his political rivals surprised.
Few months back it was Naveen Patnaik who had made an appeal to all the chief ministers of the country to initiate provisions for making 33 percent reservation for women for the assembly and Parliament seats besides in different other fields,. It had received mixed response but today Patnaik almost dropped a political bombshell by making it public that his party will reserve 33 percent reservation for women for the Lok Sabha.
The step taken by Patnaik now has become a headache for other two rival national parties like Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress. It remains to be seen who are others to follow but, as for Naveen Patnaik , he has made a fantastic political dividend and taken a lead which, will have a big impact on his poll prospects.
At a time when both BJP and Congress are making all out efforts to target Patnaik to stop his fifth consecutive victory in 2019. Naveen Patnaik has been able to rise above others by such populist announcements and the 33 percent reservation issue will go a long way to help his vote bank.
