BJP, BJD make truce with dissidents
The coming Bijepur by-poll is turning out to be a close contest between the BJP and the BJD following a truce with the dissidents in both parties. Former MlA Ashok Panigrahi snapped ties with the ruling BJD and switched over to the BJP. He is likely to be the candidate for the BJP in Bijepur constituency. The other BJD leaders who turned a revolt against the decision of the party supremo are believed to have been taken into confidence. Similarly, Bargarh district BJP president Narayan Sahu, an aspirant for the party ticket, will retain his position as district president and has been promised of more sops if the BJP wins in Bijepur. Known for his firebrand image Narendra Hota, a new entrant to the BJP and a ticket aspirant, may play the spoilsport by raising the issue of local and non- local. Hota fought last election on a KKD ticket. This constituency is believed to be a stronghold of the Congress and if a strong local candidate is fielded, he may prove the dark horse in the by-poll. The sympathy vote as expected by the BJD party supremo may not be that much which Tukuni Sahu earned in Titlagarh after her husband’s murder. Moreover, even sympathy votes are not available free. The local factor seems to be a matter of concern for the BJP as Panigrahi hails from Ganjam. Hence, the ensuring Bijepur by-poll will be a three-concerned contest.
Is it Modi rice or Naveen riceIJ
A crucial point emerged from the Congress-BJD backlash when the ruling BJD and opposition Congress strongly reacted to the statement of Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javdekar that rice at Rs 1 per kg provided to the BPl beneficiaries in Odisha should be described as ‘Modi Rice’ as the Centre contributes Rs 27 per kg while the State provides only Rs 2. The Minister recently during his visit to Odisha said the highly subsidized food security programme should be described as ‘Modi Rice’ scheme. Javdekar lambasted the Chief Minister for appropriating all Central schemes and hoodwinking the people of Odisha. But now the people have seen through this game of the ruling party, he said. The BJP’s poster campaign exposing the claim of the BJD on the cheap rice scheme is believed to have paid rich dividends to the saffron party in the last Panchayat election. But why the BJP which had already snapped ties with the ruling BJD well before the 2009 general election, did not raise the issue, is a mystery. Was it because of the fact that the BJP was a partner of the ruling entity when the scheme was launchedIJ Or was it because the Central assistance came from the Congress which ruled at the CentreIJ Going by the version of the HRD Minister, the Central assistance could have gone to the credit of the Congress in the name of ‘Manmohan Rice’ if such claims were made from time to time by tagging the PM’s name. Is it not a mockery of the federal system of governance that is supposed to percolate down and reach the lowest rung of societyIJ To sum up, one can say, the card is well played by the BJP ahead of the 2019 election.
Sambalpur flyover construction to be delayed
Blacklisting firms entrusted with development projects of Odisha has now become a regular affair. For the Bomikhal bridge collapse responsibility has been fixed on the contractor firm Panda Infra Projects ltd. It has not only been blacklisted, a few heads of the Public Works Development rolled. This has led to uncertainty in the flyover plan connecting the Church Colony with the Nelson Mandela
Chowk in Sambalpur city as work on this flyover has stopped because of the steps initiated to blacklist Panda Infra Projects, the executor of the construction work at a cost of Rs 81 crore. Whether this flyover was a need for a city like Sambalpur is a matter of debate, as important markets including the Golbazar area is affected. Initially, the flyover was to be built over an area of 1,540 meter long but in the revised plan its length increased by 340 meters from the Church Colony to the Head Post Office through the laxmi talkies Chowk. People are using alternative routes, including arterial roads, to reach their destination as vehicular movement has been restricted on what is called the lifeline of Sambalpur. Now in all likelihood, there will be a delay in the construction work and therefore more suffering is waiting for the general public.
R’kela school money grabbing motive exposed
But for the timely intervention of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Rourkela, a Class-XII student could not have appeared at the Commerce SA-1 examination in the St Arnold School, Jhartarang situated on the outskirts of Rourkela. The student was denied permission for failure of depositing the school fee backlog amounting to a little over Rs 14,000. His father’s request to pay Rs 5,000 before the examination and the rest before commencement of the annual examination was not heeded by the school principal forcing him to move the forum complaining deficiency in education service on the part of the school authorities. Fr Francis Jos, the Principal of this reputed school, had to repent for his silly behaviour with the guardian of the student but not before the interim order passed by the court which observed, “there did exist a prima facie case and the balance of convenience lay in favour of the complainant. Irreparable loss and injury will be caused to the son of the complainant if an interim order is not granted.”The Principal as well as the manager of the school Fr KC Thomas were directed to allow the student to sit in the exam by accepting Rs 5,000 as part payment. The order was passed on September 13 and served on both the parties just ahead of the examination the next day. The decision of the forum came as an instant relief to the victim. Be that as it may, the whole episode smacks of money grabbing motive by the school run in the name of missionary of charity.