It seems the BJD is confused in Jharsuguda about whether it wants to support industrialisation or not. Curiously, it was a chaotic day for the BJD at Jharsuguda on the sidelines of felicitation of environmental activist Prafulla Samantara at Jharsuguda on Wednesday which was organised by Chetnashil Nagarika Mancha.
With Odisha’s most preferred status for business sinking and the State Government in desperation is leaving no stone unturned to lure global investors to make in Odisha, some of the prominent district level BJD leaders of Jharsuguda like former Chairperson, Jharsuguda Municipality Tapas Roy Chowdhury, BDJ Krushak Cell president Mitrabhanu Sahu, former Zilla Parishad Member Jagannath Bhoi and other BJD workers were seen shoulder to shoulder with the same man who was the nemesis to their own Government’s design on Posco in Jagatsinghpur, Vedanta at lanjigarh and other industrial projects which were the dream projects to bolster the ‘Make in Odisha’ scheme.
In fact, it was left to the local project affected people from Vedanta’s periphery to stand for development as they submitted their petition in favour of industrialisation of Jharsuguda to the district Collector of Jharsuguda. It was communicated by them that any voices destabilising industrial momentum in Jharsuguda will be resisted by the local people.
Interestingly, Jharsuguda which was tipped to be the industrial hub of Odisha, is reeling under severe industrial unemployment due to the closure of many industries in recent times. Scarcity of raw material and other reasons have dealt a body blow to the industries of the district. At a time when thousands of industrial workers are without work, a section of the ruling party lending a hand of appreciation to an activist who remains stingingly critical of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s industrial policy is sure to embarrass the State Government further.
It is said that the dilemma in the rank and file of the BJD in Jharsuguda will further dent the image of the BJD in the State and specifically in Jharsuguda, where the ruling party has suffered biggest drubbing in the recent panchayat and Zilla Parishad elections.