After the declaration of the results of the second phase of the three-tier Panchayati Raj elections, the junior level leaders in the BJD are not prepared to keep quiet.
looking at the severe defeat of the BJD and the remarkable rise of the BJP in the elections, they have expressed deep concern over ‘officer raj’ in the present Government from the Secretariat to the gram panchayat.
“The officers in the State starting from junior posts to that of the senior ones are just enjoying ‘royal power and life’. Party MlAs are also feeling helpless in front of these officers, let alone the junior workers,” alleged BJD workers who did not wish to be identified.
Although BJD leads the tally as of now, the trend shows BJP’s share of ZP seats increasing steadily. It looks the rising popularity of BJP and its strength and organizational activities can’t be undermined.
Not only are the officers virtually running the State, they are also indulged in the neck- deep corruption and misappropriating crores of money out of it. The rate of corruption is at the highest in the rural areas and BDOs and engineers are earning crores of rupees from the welfare schemes and civil works. They cited an example when a conscious resident of Rairakhol constituency narrated the corruption by the block officials to a former Collector but in vain.
Such types of incidents have displeased the rural population all over the State and western Odisha in particular and this has been reflected in the Panchayat election this time, they said. “If CM Naveen Patnaik doesn’t take course correction, then the party is sure to see more devastating situation,” they warned.