Bijepur by-poll: BJD leaves no stone unturned
A dozen BJD leaders including four Ministers Niranjan Pujari, Prafulla Mallick, Snehangini Chhuria and Susanta Singh are camping in different areas of the Bijepur Assembly constituency. leaders like Pushpendra Singh Deo, Prashant Nanda and Debesh Acharya have been assigned to look after the party organisation in various gram panchayats of Bijepur, Barpali and Gaisilet blocks, while another group comprising Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra and former Minister Pranab Prakash Das are coordinating with Panchayat level leaders. No doubt, the BJD, as of today, is far ahead of the BJP and the Congress in its campaign strategy for the Bijepur by-poll. The latter are yet to name their candidates, the minimum they should have done by now, and the reasons are best known to them. The second major sop of NAC tag to Bijepur after the Rs 1,250 crore pipe water irrigation project has surprised everyone, including the ruling party members. The BJD in the early stage banked on the sympathy vote for Ritarani Sahoo, the widow of former MlA Subal Sahoo, but it has been rightly advised to explore all options to clinch the deal in its favour without being dependant on a single factor.
Petitioner against Naveen may be sued!
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take a call in the case pertaining to the alleged discrepancies in poll expenses by Chief Minister Naveen Patniak. The apex court refused to hear the petition filed by the RTI campaigner Subhas Mohapatra and clearly said it is for the ECI to decide whether the case would be transferred to the Delhi High Court. The judgement came when the ECI expressed in Supreme Court that it is ready to take note of the complaint. Now, the ball is in the ECI court and the commission is to decide whether the case could be transferred from the Orissa high Court to the Delhi High Court. Be that as it may, the alleged large scale irregularities in the statement of expenses submitted by Naveen Patnaik challenged in the Orissa High Court has become the bone of contention in public domain, besides being a headache for the ruling BJD. Petitioner Mohapatra had prayed for Naveen’s disqualification as an MlA on the ground that he had submitted false expense details. A month later, in August, he moved the Supreme Court apprehending biased trial in the State. A judge of the Orissa High Court had recused himself from hearing of the case. Mohapatra pleaded before the Supreme Court that he apprehended miscarriage of justice unless the case is transferred to Delhi. Such apprehension of a petitioner is ‘contemptuous’ or not is a different matter but the ECI is now in a quandary to dispose of the limited brief. Meanwhile, opinions are divided among the lawyers whether fear of bias amounts to ‘contempt of court’ or notIJ If yes, should Mohapatra be booked on the ground of violating the law of contempt. It is for the legal advisors of Naveen Patnaik to act on this tip.
Damodar in dock over his Anganwadi jibe
Playing to gallery through media and creating sensation has always remained a hobby with veteran BJD leader Damodar Rout. But this time, his stinging remarks against the women folk of Anganwadi Workers is alleged to be derogatory and slang. Though the comment was meant against lekhashree Samantsinghar who had used the term ‘Srikhandi’ to describe Rout and had compared the infighting within BJD with that in the Mahabharata, the BJP women workers have taken strong exception to the statement of Dama threatening to intensify the stir if the Minister did not apologise. Couched with suitable words if the Minister doesn’t tender his apology, the ruling party, in all likelihood, will lose the family vote of Anganwadi workers, which the party cannot afford. Taken in the loop is CM Naveen Patnaik who is named Yudhistira by his elder Dama Rout who called himself Arjuna in reply to lekhasri’s remarks that CM is Dhrutarastra and Dama is Srikhandi. But Dama crossed the limits when he said that she was working for Anganwadi without attending to her hubby. In vernacular, the words “Swami Chhadi Anganwadi” are vulgar and insulting.
NAC tag to Bonai could be scheduled for 2018
If Bonai, according to BJD sources, was proposed for NAC tag two years back and is awaiting concurrence of the Panchayat Raj (PR) department, why it couldn’t be announced along with Bijepur is a moot question now. Despite having the eligibility to become an NAC, Bonai town till 2015 used to wear a neglected look. Funds were mobilized by a former Sub-Collector from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions. Roads were widened with parallel covered drains along with introduction of street light system, renovation of the bus stand, creation of a children’s park and a shopping complex and improvement of the multi-purpose parade ground. Bonai was the erstwhile headquarters of the former princely estate of Bonaigarh. Sundargarh district was formed after independence and Bonai was made the headquarters of a sub-division. It is interesting to note that though the locals call it a town it is governed by GP rules. A fresh proposal was recently sent by the district administration proposing formation of a NAC comprising Bonai town and part of Kendrikala GP to meet the population criteria. Industrial activities in the periphery of Bonai have grown manifold since 2000 and the area deserved to be developed into an urban centre. By simultaneous declaration of NAC for Bonai and Bijepur, the ruling party could have lowered the level of criticism to BJD’s poll-driven decision, besides reducing the spark of resentment in Bonai. last but not the least, the BJD would have laid its foundation in Bonai well ahead of the general election in 2019. But knowing Naveen Patniak as we do, has he shelved the Bonai declaration for 2018 UlB electionsIJ