Speculations are now rife over Ministerial changes in the State Government as about three years have gone since CM Naveen Patnaik, who took oath as Chief Minister for the fifth consecutive time on May 29, 2019, has not made any reshuffle.
Besides, political observers maintain that as the wave of the Covid-19 is in drastically declined mode and the State Government has already revoked the enforcement of Epidemic Act, the party has performed extremely well in just-ended panchayat and ULB elections the Chief Minister is likely to go for a reshuffle in Council of Ministers by changing the portfolios of certain Ministers, dropping a few and adding some new ones.
It is also expected a focus will be given on western Odisha for two reasons i.e. the party has done well in both rural and urban elections and secondly, the party has to focus more for 2024 elections as it had performed bad during 2019 elections.
Accordingly, a natural question that is doing the rounds here is if the BJD boss will pick up any MLA from Sundargarh district for a ministerial berth as in the series of five times tenure of Naveen Patnaik this tribal dominated district MLAs were given space in the Ministerial berth in the first and third term.
So, if now anyone from Sundargarh district is given an opportunity then who would he be? BJD has only two MLAs, Sarda Prasad Nayak from Rourkea and Subrat Tarai from Raghunathpalli, who represent Sundargarh district. Besides being the MLA, Nayak is party’s Rourkela district wing president, Chairman, District Planning Board and member WODC (Western Odisha Development Council).
So, many of Tarai’s supporters and Nayak’s critics claim as Nayak is already occupied with three additional responsibilities, the party boss may prefer Tarai over him. Secondly, they claim though Nayak is carrying three posts but he has not been enjoying trust of party boss for which he was not given any assignment during past by-elections.
Besides, though Nayak is Rourkela wing party chief but a few party leaders are more active which is reflected in the Jeevan Bindu activities in past days.
Similarly, Nayak has not got any achievement as the Chairman, Rourkela Development Authority; rather he is in dock due to alleged irregularities in the works of Chhend Central Park, which is now under Vigilance scanner.
Above all, Tarai had already occupied a ministerial berth in Patnaik’s third term and became Chairman, District Planning Board prior to Nayak.
But Nayak’s supporters feel if CM Patnaik feels to choose one from Sundargarh district, then it would inevitably be Nayak.
According to them though Tarai was earlier a Minister and Chairman, District Planning Board, but it was due to a compulsion for the party. As Nayak was removed from his ministerial berth due to certain controversial incidents on May 29, 2012, CM Patnaik had no other choice than Tarai from Sundargarh during reshuffle in August 2012. Similarly, after Nayak’s defeat in 2014 election, the road was clear for Tarai to become the Chairman, District Planning Board.
These apart, from organisational point of view, Nayak is much ahead of Tarai. Even in past days while the Covid positive cases were on peak in Rourkela and the common people were in need of their representative, Nayak was fully available beside them and was providing service without any fear of risk for his own health.
At that time, Tarai was even not available in city. Similarly, during first wave of Covid-19 pandemic, Rourkela had achieved a milestone in collection of blood plasma, thanks to the sincere operation of Nayak, claimed his followers.
Due to his tireless effort, the BJD had performed well in last Panchayat elections in the district as well, they said.
Though he has certain opponents in the party but he has the blessings of the common people due to his selfless service during both the waves of Covid-19. So ahead of the ULB and Panchayat elections the party will prefer him over Tarai, feel his supporters. Above all he has good rapport with certain bureaucrats who had earlier worked in Sundargarh District and having influence in CMO, claim Nayak supporters.