The announcement of Narendra Kumar Swain as the BJD nominee for the ensuing Rajya Sabha by-election has taken his party men as well as political observers by surprise. Maintaining a low profile all the while, despite being a BJD general secretary and Chairman of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation, he was more taken as a party worker than as a leader. Swain continued his party organisational activities despite the snubs of BJD panjandrums remaining every inch loyal to party supremo Naveen Patnaik.
In his student days, he proved his leadership mettle by becoming president of the Cuttack Christ College Students’ Union and later president of the Students’ Union of Madhusudan law College, Cuttack. He then joined the Orissa High Court Bar as an advocate. After a stint in the CPI, he switched over to the Janata Dal in 1990 at the call of Biju Patnaik, wsho ordained him to carry on party organisational activities as he possessed a thorough knowledge of the nook and corner of the State. In 1997, when Bijubabu passed away, he continued his allegiance with BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, who has surprised the agrarian community of the State by nominating Swain for the Upper House of Parliament because he hails from a farmer family. Swain is all set to get into the Rajya Sabha in view of the BJD’s massive strength in the State Assembly. In an interview to The Pioneer, Swain spoke to Sugyan Choudhury from the BJD headquarters at Bhubaneswar.
Did you hope to obtain the BJD nomination to the Rajya SabhaIJ
I have had been applying for the same over last many times. Each time hope told a flattering tale in my ears, the next moment I was deprived; but I was never disillusioned. I knew for certain that my party chief will certainly do the needful at the appropriate hour, and that exactly has happened this time.
What do you think was the consideration behind your successIJ
I had actively associated myself with the then supremo the great Bijubabu since 1990. Bijubabu provided me the necessary platform and encouraged me to carry out party activities and serve the poor throughout the State as a trusted party man. After his departure, his son Naveenbabu succeeded him and allowed me to continue my job in the new BJD as general secretary. I have hoped, suffered, struggled and endured for fulfilling the left-out dreams of Bijubabu under the stewardship of Naveenbabu. I always believed in his righteous dispensations.
Whom should you thank for this bonanza of yoursIJ
I have no one to thank excepting my party chief Naveenbabu.
What are on your agenda to put forth in the Upper HouseIJ
My top priority would be to put forth the agenda of my party, besides taking part in issues of national interest and international affairs. I shall strive best to put up the matters concerning the peasantries as well as other developmental activities of my State adhering to my party objectives. .
What’s your response to the farmers’ suicide in the StateIJ
The farmers’ suicide in our State is true enough but has not enough of the truth in it. I shall now narrate about an incident which is very much relevant in this context. I shall take you back to the days of Nabakrushna Choudhury when he was the Chief Minister in 1952. Once a report came out in newspaper that Suka Bewa, a marginal farmer of the village Siju under the Tirtol police station, had committed suicide as she neither got food to eat nor sources to maintain her children. The illustrious Chief
Minister Choudhury was deeply pained at his heart and immediately asked Nilamani Routaray, a senior member in his Ministry, to personally visit and inquire into the matter. Nilamanibabu reached Tirtol. There were no means of communication to the village Siju except by walking. Nilamanibabu accompanied by police officials walked down a five-km distance carrying an umbrella over his head. He stopped at the entrance of the village and found a woman minding her grazing cows across the fields. He asked her gently, “Do you know that one Suka Bewa has died in this villageIJ Is there anyone in her family leftIJ” The woman at once replied, “Hell on you, Babu, why should Suka Bewa be dead when I am very much standing before you!” Nilamanibabu returned and promptly reported the matter to the Chief Minister. Similar things are happening in our State when your media people are blowing things out of their proportions. It does not mean that farmers are not committing suicide like other people. Recently, I had been to Sohela to oversee the arrangement of the BJD’s farmers’ rally which was later attended by the Chief Minister. Before going to the stage to address the farmers, the Chief Minister had spent some time with the farmers and ascertained that they had availed loans from private moneylenders at an usurious rate of interest. Besides, some of them had fallen into the debt traps of private moneylenders. When the hopes of harvesting became faint, they died of heart attacks and committed suicide. The Chief Minister has taken necessary remedial measures by ordering inquiries into the cases and has announced innumerable welfare packages for ameliorating the lots of farmers. I am sure our popular Government has risen to the task in an unprecedented manner, which is unique of its kind.
Political observers point out that your Government is pro-industrialist and anti-farmer.
look, our Government is both pro-industrialist and pro-farmer. Had Naveenbabu not been a pro-farmer CM, he would not have chosen me as a member to the Rajya Sabha as I happen to be the son of a farmer. You know farmers constitute 80 per cent of our State’s population; it is a focus area for the Government to concentrate and our Government is committed to the same. Similarly, like his father Bijubabu, our CM is also bent on making Odisha as industrial hub of India.
Your winning RS seat is a foregone conclusion. Isn’t itIJ
I shall appeal to the Rajya Sabha electorate and solicit their support for being elected to the Upper House. But one thing I am sure that when my Party chief wishes, all winds shall bring rains.