Though the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) seems drawing closer to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), indicated in its support to the ruling coalition’s candidate for the Deputy Chairman’s post in Rajya Sabha and a helpful walkout from the no-confidence motion, it has not shed its role of an opponent at the Centre and maintains that the BJP-led NDA has created an impression of invincibility “but actually it was not”.
Talking to The Pioneer, BJD leader in the lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab said general elections are still eight months away and “many a things may happen by then”, referring to the bids to forge a united Opposition front.
Mahtab, though, is of the opinion that most political parties in 2018 are harping on personality and not ideology that alone could weave a strong Opposition alliance to counter “ a personality-led campaign at the national level” as spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It would help the BJP if 2019 poll is held on personality issue,” he pointed out.
“ If only certain political parties come together on ideology then only one can counter the personality-led campaign,” he said adding “Congress itself is a personality and family-driven party and that is why it is failing.”
He quoted former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and president of Janata Dal (Secular) saying that many among those who had come on one platform in Bangalore oath taking ceremony “may not to come to form a Morcha against the BJP”. Mahtab said the idea of “Mahagathbandan’ is to be tested in UP first.
The senior BJD MP from Cuttack who, this month, received the best parliamentarian award , however, insists that the NDA is “not invincible” an “impression they created after their win in no-confidence motion”.
Asked on what count he was saying so, Mahtab countered saying, “Where is BJP in Odisha, West Bengal, South India or even Gujaratij. “Gujarat witnessed a multi-cornered contest as NCP candidates were the reasons for defeats of Congress in some seats,” he said making a fine political point. He said in North-East and Maharashtra BJP had to rope in other parties to form Governments and it could not pull off a win in Karnataka.
On BJP tom-tomming its win in Panchyat polls in Odisha, Mahtab said in the last elections Congress withdrew and gave space to the BJP and non-BJP votes got consolidated in favour of the BJP.
“But it would not happen in the 2019 assembly polls. We would not only win Odisha Assembly polls but would also better our tally of 123 seats that we had in 1990 under the leadership of Biju Patnaik,” he asserted.
Chief Minster Naveen Patnaik would be in his 20th year of rule in 2019 when Assembly polls in the State are to almost coincide with the lok Sabha elections.
Referring to the no-confidence motion where BJD walked out , Mahtab said his party’s participation in it would have been a “fruitless exercise” as it turned out to be a slanging match between the BJP and the Congress.
Apparently referring to the NDA’s tactic to go ahead with the no-confidence motion to show its strength, he said the motion was accepted in the first day of deliberations and none in the opposition comprehended it.
On Deputy Chairman’s election in the Rajya Sabha, he said the BJD backed the JDU candidate but it wanted a consensus candidate.
On incidents of lynching, he said it was a North-Indian phenomenon and referred to the burning to death of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons in Odisha’s Keonjhar district in January 1999 where he said the main culprit Dara Singh hailed from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. He sought amendments in the IPC and CrPC to tackle mob violence which “ is a heinous crime”.
Regarding the positive aspects of Modi-governance, the BJD leader cited its efforts in curbing black money and implementation of the Goods and Services tax (GST) in the country which he said “ revolutionised the tax structure”.