Former Minister Raghunath Mohanty seems set to stage a comeback to the ruling BJD’s mainstream with his son Rajashree Mohanty and daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhury getting reunited as man and wife on Wednesday after about three years.
Significantly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik blessed the reunion of the estranged couple.
Though Raghunath Mohanty had always been in Patnaik’s good books, he had to be disgraced from the BJD in the wake of a much-hyped allegation of torture levelled by Barsa Swony against the Mohanty family, including Raghunath, in 2013.
Mohanty, who was then Minister of Industries and law, was not only asked to resign from the Cabinet but was denied a BJD ticket to contest in the 2014 Assembly elections from his Basta constituency in Baleswar district.
In 2013, Barsa had filed a case against husband Rajashree and his family alleging that her in-laws demanded a sum of `25 lakh and a vehicle from her family as dowry, but when she declined, they started torturing her.
On Wednesday, in a dramatic turn of events, the estranged Rajashree-Barsa Swony couple announced their reunion at a Press conference in a hotel here. The reunion was facilitated by the Barsa Swony Foundation.
Barsa Swony said, “The misunderstanding between the two families has been sorted out. We both have decided to live together as husband and wife.” She gave credit to her husband for the reunion and referred him as her “strength”.
“I will return to the housed of my father-in-law and mother-in-law’s house as their daughter, not as daughter-in-law. They have accepted me wholeheartedly,” Barsa added.
Rajashree said, “It’s great that we both have decided to reunite. It is good news for both of our families. The decision to reunite is completely personal and no one has pressurized us to take the step.”
Refusing to give any comment over his father Raghunath Mohanty’s future political career, Rajashree said, “Our family was and is with the people of Baleswar and will continue to do so in the future.”
“We have planned a get-together in Baleswar and family members and relatives of both the families will be present there,” Rajashree said. He hoped that their reunion would set an example for others in society.