BJP has failed to open an account in the home turf of your party president Basant Panda in the rural polls. Being a three-time MLA of the party, don't you think this has sent a wrong message to the public?

Since he became the president, Panda was busy building the party's network across the state. In the process, he distanced himself from party workers in the district. That was the reason why he lost the elections. He has admitted that. This problem will be sorted out shortly.

With the unexpected success of your party in the polls, the BJP sees power within its reach in the state in 2019. Who would be your party's chief ministerial candidate?

The party president is the number one leader in the party hierarchy. But this time, the party had entrusted the responsibility of the panchayat polls to Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Under his leadership, the party has emerged victorious. He has won the confidence of the party workers. Keeping this in mind, to my knowledge, Pradhan is the most suitable candidate for the post of chief minister. However, the party will take a call on this issue.

Though the BJP is strong in west Odisha, it is not a major force in the coastal belt. How do you propose to overcome this hurdle in the 2019 elections?

We are aware of this and have started working on it. During our alliance days before 2009, the leaders, who had been at the helm of affairs, distanced themselves from the party workers and the party became weak. Now, we are paying the price for it. At present, the leadership is focusing on how to strengthen the party at polling-booth level.

The debate continues that it was not wise on part of the BJP to invite Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, who is opposed to Odisha's interests in the Mahanadi water dispute, to campaign for the party...

We are a cadre-based national party. There was nothing wrong to invite Singh. He had come and cleared doubts on the Mahanadi river dispute. He raised the pertinent question - why the Odisha government had failed to take steps to utilise the Mahanadi water. While Chhattisgarh uses and estimated 4 per cent of the Mahanadi water, Odisha uses 13 per cent and the rest goes into the sea. Besides, the Centre has made it clear that Odisha's interests would not be compromised. We have also taken a stand that we will not allow Odisha's interests to suffer.

Should the Chhattisgarh government immediately stop construction activities on the Mahandi upstream?

There is a system and everyone has to go by that. If I say they should stop construction, will they? It's the Odisha government's responsibility to take appropriate steps in this regard. At the same time, I should say that the Odisha government is solely responsible for the mess. Though Naveen Patnaik keeps saying that the river is the lifeline of Odisha and they would fight for the project, they have not done anything for it. Earlier, they have gone on record saying the state would not suffer due to Chhattisgarh's construction activities. Now, they have changed their stand. It seems there is political motive behind it.

You are projecting Pradhan as your chief ministerial candidate. But he has serious difference in opinion on the Mahanadi issue with your party's senior leader Bijoy Mohapatra

Mohapatra has a long experience and has been the state's irrigation minister. Being a Union minister, Pradhan has exposure at the national level. He is in constant touch with various ministers, including Union water resources minister Uma Bharti. He had aired his views considering ground realities. There may be difference in opinion and their working styles but one thing is common - both want Odisha's intereststo be protected.

You are have been elected thrice as an MLA from west Odisha, from where reports of farmers' suicides have been coming in. How do you think the scenario for farmers could be made better?

The first step is to either waive the loans or convert them into long-term ones. We have a problem in west Odisha. Most fields are taken on lease by bhaga chasis (sharecroppers), who also cultivate them. The government must ensure that all benefits and subsidies under various schemes reach the sharecroppers. The administration has totally failed to deliver goods to the people. The people continue to suffer, remain illiterate and languish in poverty.

You have the Western Odisha Development Council and you were also a member of that body. The government is allocating Rs 100 crore for the development of the areas besides other funds...

The major problem is that the council's headquarters is in Bhubaneswar. People don't have the means to reach to the capital to raise their issues. Besides, there is no specific policy for the development of the area.

You should not blame the government for this. The leaders from the region have been unable to agree on the location of the council's office...

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik should take a call on this issue. If you ask me, I will say the headquarters should be located in Sambalpur.

What would you have been had you not been a politician?

I had never thought of anything else. My father just wanted to me to be a good human being. Before I could think of anything career-wise, I was drafted into politics. I was a footballer and studying in college when I got the offer to join politics. I took the opportunity.