Even as there is a hue and cry over formation of a lulu Sena on the birthday of senior Congress leader lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, emergence of such outfits within political parties in Odisha is not new.
A Nalini Sena was formed when senior BJD leader Nalini Kanta Mohanty was suspended from the ruling BJD in 2000. The Nalini Sena committed to work for Mohanty and finally the strong man from Rajnagar joined Congress and lost an election before his demise.
Similarly, Bijay Sena was formed twice to safeguard the political interest of Bijay Mohapatra. The recent Bijay Sena was created during the 2014 general elections when Mohapatra was contesting from Mahakalpada Assembly segment. Bijay also lost the election.
However, during the by-election for Athgarh Assembly segment, a Raja (Swain) Sena was also formed. This Sena was committed to the electoral victory of Ranendra Pratap Swain. And, Swain had won the election.
Even veteran non-Congress leader Damodar Rout had also formed Biju Bichar Manch when he was removed from the Naveen Patnaik Ministry. The Manch now ceases to be operational after Rout was taken back into the Ministry. Therefore, politicians forming Sena or Morcha after their names are not new in Odisha politics. They create such outfits in order to remain relevant in politics.
However, why did lulu Mohapatra form such a Sena when his position in the Congress is not as bad as Niranjan Patnaik and others.
A Sena for lulu, sources said, was required to keep his followers and supporters happy who are gradually losing their faith in the OPCC and its president Prasad Harichandan.
However, lulu has said that it is not lulu Sena, but the Congress Sena. PCC secretary Rajendra Panda is president of the lulu Sena. Panda said that the Sena has been formed by people who love lulu and will remain with him in good and bad times and it has nothing to do with Congress.
“You will see when it expands it will have people from different walks of life. There are some people from the Congress because lulu Bhai is in Congress but it has nothing to do with Congress,” said Panda.
While PCC chief Prasad Harichandan has preferred not to comment on the matter, former PCC chief and senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik has rather said since the president of the Sena is a PCC secretary, the PCC chief can better answer.