May 29 has become a red letter date on the calendar of the Odisha politics. On May 29, 2012, Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra allegedly attempted to overthrow Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from power in a late night coup but the alleged move was thwarted by some BJD Naveen Patnaik loyalists.
Mohapatra, known as the proverbial Chanakya for Naveen Patnaik, had become the latter’s friend, philosopher and guide for the first 12 years of the BJD regime. It’s time to focus attention on what has transpired over the past year for Mohapatra, the chief architect around whom this blockbuster plot revolves even today.
The first blow post May 29, 2012 was by Naveen, who suspended Pyari from the BJD along with two MlAs and sacked three Ministers considered close to Pyari. Over the past year, both the MlAs were forgiven by Naveen and suspensions were revoked and they on their parts benignly touched Naveen’s feet in full public glare. The three ministers continue to stay within the party, but Anjali Behera among them seems to have shown her loyalty for Pyari if one goes by the Hindol NAC election results as it is perceived that six independent councillors supported by Pyari won over the BJD quite convincingly in Hindol, the constituency of Anjali. After his suspension, Pyarimohan was subsequently expelled from the BJD, the party he had helped build and nurture.
Whether Pyari had actually planned the coup or he became a victim of a political ambush by his detractors is a million-rupee debate, the answer to which probably lies deep in the heart of Pyarimohan than with anyone else.
After his suspension, Pyari had to appear politically alive. When a politician loses a political position within his party or loses the party, he is like a political orphan. Those who have been in the political mainstream can empathise with this fact that linkage to a political party and degree of involvement is the true measure of a politician rather than his MP or MlA status.
In the political parlance, a man without a political anchor which is further anchored to a political ship is like a flaming boat without a rudder. So, Pyari had to strike back politically. When a politician has to strike back politically, he not only needs publicity but also the support of cadre and people.
The common man standing on the street for a politician is his true credibility check. So, Pyari started the Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM). The OJM became the shield for him as he sought courage from large public meetings called Kranti Samavesh across three corners of the State -- Bhubaneswar, Bhawanipatna and Baripada. The fourth at Brahmapur is yet to be realised.
The OJM also started a membership drive, which moved strongly in the western and southern regions but was slower in coastal belt. It was probably also due to Pyari’s stronger grip on western Odisha constituents during his BJD days than on the coastal ones. Over the past ten months, the OJM has been the pulpit from which Pyari has been shouting eloquent about his intentions of becoming the next Chief Minister if the people so desire.
Pyari’s supporters and core committee members have also been harassed by Naveen Patnaik. While his second-in-command and secretary general of OJM, Jagneswar Babu, was arrested on charges of fraud and misappropriation, it also raised concerns about the probity and propriety of action by Naveen.
When Jagneswar was with Naveen in the BJD, he was given the task of framing the party election manifesto in 2009. But the same man was handcuffed and led to a court in Bhubaneswar when he fell from Naveen’s grace. During his stay in the BJD, his acts as President of a cooperative bank were considered sacrosanct, but his acts turned fraudulent when he came to the OJM. Several OJM youth leaders suddenly had police cases against them. Several others within the OJM are under the scrutiny of the Vigilance and police.
Post May 29, 2012, Pyarimohan was considered a political pariah for the BJD. Many felt his path was leading to political obscurity. On May 29, 2013, however, he is undertaking constituency-wise meetings of OJM workers, though without much media publicity. He is meeting people, building cadre, impressing the local population with his agenda. His catapulting to power, if at all, would be the ideal salt-cum-pepper for the wounds of Naveen, or so he might be thinking. Over the past one year, Pyari has managed to survive. But he has the odds stacked on him.
It is indeed interesting that after the recent Karnataka elections and the emergence of BS Yedyurrappa as the spoiler for the BJP, many speculated that Pyarimohan was going to be the nemesis of the BJD like Yedyurappa was for the BJP and Pyari might not win many seats but would either be a kingmaker in case of a hung Assembly or ensure the defeat of the BJD. I disagree. The Congress in Odisha does not have a Siddharamaiah nor does Pyari have the caste-loyalties as Yedyurappa had in Karnataka. What tilts the balance in Pyari’s favour is his knowledge of the internal dynamics of the BJD, the machines which run the electoral management and the petrol that fuels it.
He knows the strengths and weaknesses of many BJD MlAs and potential candidates as well. His database is probably the most updated one which has shaped over three elections. His internal equations with several BJD leaders even today are intact.
Pyarimohan one year since May 29 has emerged as a sole fighter, a man who is lonely in his decisions but seeks to turn them into actions through the multitudes. A man who was a step away from the crown probably but the roll of the dice did not favour him this time around. A man who is dismissed off with fervour by BJD mandarins in public but spoken of in hushed voices behind the scenes. The hushed voices are not dying down since they have seen Pyari’s magical prophecy of winning a 100 MlA seats and the final culmination at 103 seats. They want to dismiss him off in their hearts, but their minds tell them not to. Pyari is a phantom for the BJD, which is a ghost for many of them, unseen and silent but deadly, given a proper situation.
The elections in Odisha are scheduled for May 2014 if the Election Commission does not bring about a change or a mid-term election is effected either by the UPA or the BJD or both. If the elections do happen in May 2014, Pyari has a year’s time for redeeming his pride and image for what has been perpetuated on him from May 2012. If he rises to the occasion in May 2014, Naveen might just be regretting May 2012 and the ‘Beimaan’ slur that he cast on Pyari then.
It seems that for Pyari the months of May 2012, 2013 and 2014 are important. While 2012 would be marked by ignominy, 2013 by striving feats, 2014 might well be redemption. The wait to May 2014 starts from today. Till then, let the months of May continue to haunt Pyari till such time that he comes good.
(Dr Sasmit Patra is a keen observer of the Odisha politics. He can be reached at sasmitpatra@gmail.com)