Dilip leaning towards BJD!
Rourkela MlA Dilip Ray’s absence in the BJP’s State Executive held in Sundargarh has sparked speculations that he is gradually distancing himself from the party. If his recent praise of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for setting up a mineral corporation in Odisha to monitor mineral exploration and excavation is any indication, then Ray coming closer to Patnaik cannot be ruled out. As the mastermind of a third front in Odisha, he is yet to open his cards but the BJD supremo and Chief Minister Patnaik is still afraid of Ray who can upset the BJD applecart in the State with the help of latter’s bête noire Bijay Mohapatra. In the last general elections, Ray could halt BJD’s galloping horse at Sundargarh. But his absence in Rourkela’s Vikash Utsav and the State executive at Sundargarh indicates his disillusionment with the party. Ray has neither shown interest in the organisational affairs of the party, nor has he reportedly made any lobby to become the party’s Odisha head. Though BJP State president Basanta Panda strongly backed by Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is the party head, there is little doubt that he is unable to address the discontentment brewing in the party. It may not be in the shape of a revolt, but that the party is faction-ridden is anybody’s guess. Not happy with Pradhan’s rising influence in Odisha, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram is unable to assert himself without Ray and keeps leaning on him for a greener pasture in the Central Cabinet when reshuffle comes about. Meanwhile, Ray has written a letter to the Chief Minister requesting him to take steps for the second campus of Xavier Institute of Management (XIM) at Rourkela which was promised after Rourkela failed in the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) race. Ray’s immediate interest could be the RMC election where he wants to settle his wife as its Mayor.
BJD jittery about BJP rallies
The Vikash Utsav now being celebrated throughout the country is an excellent PR campaign that gives an opportunity to the BJP to shout from the roof top about its success in the last two years. In Odisha, four such celebrations have already taken place without much impact on any specific group. The lower middle class and the farmers are yet to be convinced with the two-year progress report of the BJP leaders. In Baleswar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on the State Government was soft as he has not consolidated his position yet in the Rajya Sabha and is compelled to count on BJP’s support for passage of economic reform bills like GST pending for long. Similar was the tone of other Union Ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram, Gajapathi Raju who addressed such rallies in Odisha recently. But all said and done, BJP’s effort to consolidate its position in Odisha is likely to bear fruit. BJD’s fresh strategy to involve the district Collectors as political agents will be of no consequence because they are already burdened with meeting the deficit of governance in a big way. They hardly have time to look after the additional populist schemes the Government has announced to capture the Panchayats and the Zilla Parishads in the polls early next year. As such, BJP’s gradual dent into the BJD vote bank is a matter of concern for the ruling party in Odisha.
Kosal drive derailing
Bereft of a roadmap, the Kosal movement has lost its way. This movement which has a 70- year-old history was steered by many individuals in the past. The incumbency chart begins from Maharaja of Balangir Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo with change of batons as happens in a relay race. The next to receive the baton was Balgopal Mishra who lost his popularity for sheer arrogance. In between one Premram Dubey of Sambalpur appeared on the scene, but he could not hold the baton for long and that was snatched away by one Pramod Mishra of Balangir. But with lack of a vision, he missed the track and the movement got derailed. Members of the relay race could not maintain the required speed to cover the distance. With grit and determination of a versatile leader lacking, can Pramod Mishra cover this long distance and win the race for his people of western OdishaIJ There is a big question mark here and the answer lies in spotting a new set of long distance runners.
A humanitarian issue
Senior citizens for railways, whether they are from Bhawanipatna or from New Delhi, should make no difference. Security of life is common to all and guided by this fundamental principle, passengers should not be discriminated against. The railway station of Bhawanipatna may be among the ‘c’ category stations but not its senior citizens. Railways normally take up deficiency in service on a priority basis. But the DRM of Sambalpur region remains unconcerned to a small demand of the passengers to raise the height of the platform at Bhawanipatna so that the senior citizens are not gripped with fear of losing balance while boarding the train. Civil society members have even drawn attention of the Railway Minister but the modality of categorisation stands on its ways, according to the DRM. Shouldn’t the humanitarian consideration overweigh the man made rulesIJ Any rule of law is based on the fundamental principles of human values. This small demand of senior citizens should be taken in that spirit. The Railway Minister should not be disturbed as he has major issues to attend in the country’s overall interest.
(The writer, a public relations expert, is a functional editor of English weekly Kosal Horizon, email: baidyanathmishra123@rediffmail.com Cell: 94370 83025)