Bhrugu Baxipatra was born to a politically influential family. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and his father late Harish Chandra Buxipatra was a Minister. Choice for politics and public life dawned upon him with effortless ease. He was the BJP youth wing president in 2005 and is now a general secretary of the Odisha BJP. He spoke to Sugyan Choudhury.
What prompted you to choose a career in politicsIJ
There are certain things which need not to be prompted in one’s life. Politics to me is one such thing. I was born into a political family. I was tutored into politics unconsciously. While a student, I knew I was probably going to choose a career of politics and public life. My father was already and MlA.
Do you think that the BJP would be a viable alternative to the BJD in OdishaIJ
It’s a cyclic process. The party which has a stronghold today may not have a stronghold tomorrow. There is a large space of anti-BJD politics in Odisha. People have experienced Congress rule in past; they are now experiencing BJD rule. They want something new. We have missed the bus of development somewhere in the past. Over the last 15 years and even before it, all other States have tread on the path of development. But we have missed the bus somewhere. A party has consecutively come to power for the fourth time but not on the agenda of development. It has come to power in the name of poverty alleviation programme. There is need for politics of development in our State and the BJP will rise to the occasion to take the leadership of the State in the days ahead. It is going to be a genuine alternative to the BJD.
It is alleged that there exists internecine conflicts among State BJP leaders. Is it trueIJ
Tell me about any political party which does not have conflicts of interest within itselfIJ It is perceived that BJP leaders are having conflicts among themselves. If at all such conflicts exist, it is due to generational changes only. There are choices, perceptions of the present politics, and the BJP has a political history of its own; hence, the conflict. Such a conflict is due to generational changes which not only exist among the BJP leaders but also among BJP workers. It would be resolved and there is larger space for all of us to be united. Having said this, I would like to reassure one and all that it would be sorted out and we would be able to redeem the hopes and aspirations of the people when the occasion so demands.
During the recent visit of Amit Saha to Odisha, he did not utter a single word against the Naveen Patnaik regime. The BJP rank and file are reportedly disenchanted. What is your responseIJ
Amit Shah, our national president visited Odisha for the first time. His visit and was confined to two days only. If you have looked into his programme, you must have known that he spent his time only with party workers and remained deeply engrossed in organisational matters. Even when he addressed from stage, he exhorted the general public and the party workers to dial the toll-free number to straight become members of the BJP. It is not mandatory on the part of the president of a national party to comment on the functioning of the leaders of the parties of the States which he visits.
Yes of course, given the corruption charges against the present Odisha Government, people had hoped that probably the national president would make some observations or pass some comments. I think Mr Shah has reserved his best comments for the future on the functioning of the State Government.
Do you think the BJP would come to power in the State in an election in 2019 or prior to itIJ Will you only count on the Modi charismaIJ
NAMO has become a phenomenon. Why should not we utilise his image, his innumerable success stories, his capability and capacity, his vision and vitality in our campaignIJ Rarely does such a thing has happened in the world history, forget India alone. We would certainly make use of his image in the event of an election.
But at the same time, I would like to remind about the elections that took place in Maharashtra and Haryana. We did not simply win because of the Modi mascot but also because of the fact that our party leaders laid stress on the organisational capacity and capability. Hence, it would be a collaboration of the two, a happy marriage of NAMO’s image and our organisational strength to win the election in days ahead in our State.
What are the developmental plans for Odisha in your agenda, if your party comes to powerIJ
The BJP has already started providing developmental programmes as an alternative to the present Odisha Government’s. In the last nine months, the Union Ministry of Petroleum under the leadership of Dharmendra Pradhan has come up with the largest petroleum hub at Paradip. The Paradip Oil Refinery is going on. Gas line connections will be launched from Paradip to Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Thus, the east, west and south of Odisha will stand connected. We will have National Highways in pipeline. The Union Ministry of Tribal Welfare has identified certain blocks in Odisha and there will be funds from the Centre for cohesive development not only of tribal people but for the entire population of those identified block areas.
During the last 15 years, industrialists have signed MoUs with the State Government, but they have not invested their optimum share. The result has not been encouraging. We are giving much stress on the Jharsuguda second airport and on proposals for Indian Institute of Management in Odisha. If in the areas of education, health, agriculture, tourism the State Government cooperates with the Centre, there will be wonderful development and Odia youths will not have to run to other States for earning their livelihoods. Migration of labour is one of the major causes for loss of revenue and this problem will be arrested if BJP comes to power. We want a holistic development of the State through an integrated approach of development of mines, industries, tourism, education, health, agriculture, etc.