Son of late noted Professor BJB Mohapatra and great grandson of the glorious hero of the freedom struggle of India Buxi Jagabandhu, whose uncommon valour, unconquerable will and indomitable courage made Odisha achieve the status of the last free State of India, lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra is a much-talked-about potential political force to be reckoned with in the present PCC hierarchy. He calls a spade a spade and minces no words. Trained under the tutelage of his father’s fast friend and the Machiavelli of Odisha politics JB Pattanaik, lalatendu, popularly called lulu, grew up to what he is today. He had been president of the Odisha Student Congress, president of the Pradesh Youth Congress and general secretary of PCC, besides being elected as MlA from the Bramhagiri constituency. He is widely known in the Congress for his formidable organisational setups throughout the length and breadth of the State. In an interview to The Pioneer, Mohapatra spoke to Sugyan Choudhury at his residence in Bhubaneswar.
What are the plans on your agenda to rejuvenate the CongressIJ
You must know that the year 2016 is going to be an eventful year in the history of the Odisha Congress. We must admit that those who remained at the helm of the Congress affairs preferred to remain somnolent, knowingly or unknowingly. Be that as it may, now we are determined to revitalise the party organisation within a month or two and shall remain ever ready to combat any situation.
The BJD leadership has asked its their rank and file to go to villages and interact with masses through their various programmes. How are you going to respond to this situationIJ
When we had no visible action plans, the party in power took the advantage. I have thirty-two years of experience behind me and I am sure the youths’ and the students’ wings of the Congress will be geared up to catapult the party to power again.
Unlike the past, there’s a noticeable decline in the membership drive and State-level sessions and other sessions to enthuse your party worker. What’s your opinionIJ
It is true indeed. Our party had undergone a kind of inertia, passivity and acceptance. But we are now determined to make a thorough overhauling of the situation through our various activities and action plans.
Are you going to tie up with any other parties in the 2019 pollIJ
That will be decided by our national leadership when the occasion arises. I cannot say anything about it in my individual capacity.
It’s learnt from reliable sources that by the end of 2016, Rahul Gandhi is going to assume the mantle of party presidentship. What is your opinion about thisIJ
Youths should be on the vanguard of political affairs of the country. Rahul Gandhi’s presidentship will be a welcoming relief to the youths of the country. But then, we have to go by the decisions of the Congress Working Committee, which is the final authority on the matter.
What’s your observation regarding the farmers’ suicide in our StateIJ
The farmers’ suicide has taken place owing to the Government’s lapses. The first reason is there came drought owing to short rainfall resulting in crop failure. The farmers could not pay off their debts. The Government waived the tuition fee of school and college students only to the tune of Rs 600 as a matter of eyewash. The banks could not extend any further loans. Besides, SHG members who are receiving around Rs 3 lakh are in the habit of giving loans to the farmers at a usurious rate of interest. When farmers failed to pay back the loans, SHG women members sat on the doorstep of the borrower farmers for getting back the loans and interests. Thus, the farmers were hard-pressed, and finding no other way out they had to commit suicide. This is what exactly happened in Bargarh district, which is the State’s rice bowl. Further, there is corruption everywhere in the administration. At least Rs 150 crore is wasted annually in the name of farmers through corrupt practices. You must know that at least Rs 5 crore is being embezzled in the name of purchasing sacks and needle, etc., etc.
When the BJD regime is counting on its transparency and honesty for good governance, how do you ascribe it to the syndrome of corruption in its systemIJ
I call a spade a spade. I know not how to mince words. Probably, there were no governments more corrupt than the present BJD regime, where officers are like Ministers and Ministers are like minions.
Do you think that the general public and the civil society will take it easy, the present scenario of egg pelting presumably by Congress workersIJ
Time will tell. You must know that a government, which neither hears, nor sees nor speaks, deserves such kind of treatment. I support the youths those who have made fasting, dharnas for drawing the attention of the government for mitigating their grievances but to no avail.
It’s reported that Congress youths may resort to spitting in lieu of pelting eggs. What’s your response to itIJ
Maybe. Even in that case I shall support them.
During your government’s rule, did they do anything worthwhile for the agrarian community of the StateIJ
You see, during 15 years of our Congress rule, we had extended irrigation facilities to 27% of Odisha’s landmass. But during the 17 years of the BJD rule, an inch of land has not been irrigated, despite the tall claims of the Naveen Patnaik Government to cover panchayats under irrigation schemes.
Do you aspire to be PCC presidentIJ
I do not entertain any such hope. I am against frequent changes of the party presidentship. I am committed only to strengthen my party as a disciplined soldier.
Do you think that the Congress will bounce back to power in near futureIJ
Certainly so. The Modi magic will no longer hold any water in the entire country. Bihar and Gujarat are the unmistakable reminders in this regard. Then, the Congress will be the natural choice and the people will bring it back to power once again, in the larger interest of the nation.