Union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh on his way to meet chief minister Naveen Patnaik with a bouquet of Champa flowers in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Hopping from one meeting to another during his recent trip to Bhubaneswar, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh was struck by the majestic beauty of the spanking new police commissionerate building as his car sped by the edifice near the Power House square. Initially, the minister thought it was some well maintained historical monument given the Victorian-style domes that dominate the structure. However, his expression changed immediately when informed by two accompanying journalists that it was the new headquarters of the commissionerate police built at a cost of Rs 19 crore.

“The money would have been better spent on the development of the Naxalite-hit areas,” he remarked disapprovingly.

Angry Rout

Fisheries and animal husbandry minister Dr. Damodar Rout is miffed at not having been invited to the function at Gupti in Kendrapara district where Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh launched the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) over a week ago.

Since the programme, among other things, aims to create livelihood opportunities for the state’s marine fishing community, the minister had hoped to get an invitation. But he waited for it in vain as the organisers went ahead with the function without him.

While a section of Rout’s followers think he once again fell victim to internal politics of the ruling Biju Janata Dal, others feel this time he was done in not by his intra-party rivals but by scheming bureaucrats in the government.

Spot the difference

On the eve of Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s recent visit to the state, there was intense media speculation about whether chief minister Naveen Patnaik would agree to meet him given the political sparring between the two over Posco and certain other issues. In the event, however, the two met in a very cordial atmosphere at the state secretariat discussing things over coffee with cashew nuts to munch.

Ramesh appeared particular pleased with the meeting and told waiting journalists that there was much in common between him and Naveen.

'The only difference is that while I am a Congressman, he leads the Biju Janata Dal,' the minister remarked.

Naveen’s new love

Until recently hardly any one knew that chief minister Naveen Patnaik relishes gupchups, the spicy waterballs also known as panipuri or phuchka in some other parts of the country. Passers by watched agape as Naveen during a recent trip to Cuttack got down from his vehicle near the Jobra barrage and started having gupchups at a roadside stall.

The vendor himself was dumbstruck by the unexpected arrival of the VVIP customer but did his best to please the taste buds of the chief minister.

Having had his fill of the common man’s favourite fast food, a smiling Naveen resumed his journey leaving behind a crowd of surprised admirers.

Reshuffle talk

Talk of a ministry reshuffle is in the air again.

Though chief minister Naveen Patnaik has asked journalists to hold their horses, the buzz in the political circles is that he has already obtained the resignation letters of his ministers to facilitate the exercise.

The last to arrive was the resignation of finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei, who is said to be undergoing treatment out of the country.

The grapevine has it that given the health condition of the veteran minister, a ruling party Rajya Sabha member was dispatched to fetch his signature.

Though Ghadei duly obliged, there is now intense speculation over his fate and many feel that even if he is retained he may not get the same ministry.

Footnote

It was coming

Not many bureaucrats have been surprised by the transfer of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna, who had hit international headlines following his abduction by the Maoists in February and who drew effusive praise from Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the Civil Services Day.

However, according to senior bureaucrats, irrespective of the sympathy wave that followed his abduction, the young IAS officer had committed a grave blunder by walking into the Maoist territory without proper security. His kidnapping was an embarrassment for the state government which was forced to negotiate with the Maoists for the first time.

“He would have been shifted in the immediate wake of the incident but the government thought it wise to wait for sometime considering the sentiments of the people in Malkangiri,” said an officer.