Besides being a minister, you are also a Jatra party owner. Why did you announce to draw the curtains on Jatra from August 1?
Out of my passion and love for the rich tradition and culture of my state, I have set up a jatra group — Kalinga Gana Natya party— in 1994. My only aim was to keep the Odia culture, tradition intact and entertain the masses. But the situation has changed over the years. In the last five years, the problems have become more acute. We are incurring huge losses. Particularly, my jatra party incurs a loss to the tune of Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakh per annum. Where will I get the money to manage the loss? Taking all these into account, 23 jatra parties have unanimously decided to close down their operations. Even our prestige and dignity is at stake as we started incurring losses and are unable to address the issues.
Many feel that it's actually a pressure tactic by the jatra party owners to force the artistes to reduce their remunerations…
I don’t think so. We are no more in a position to afford more losses. Not only the actors have hiked their salaries, even the radio artistes, programmers and others have started demanding more pay without realizing that the owners are facing huge loses. Besides, we are not getting the required permission from the district administration to hold jatras. Let me cite the case of my party. It was to stage a show at the ongoing Khandagiri Mela in Bhubaneswar. But the administration delayed grant of permission by more than three days. Along with 180 people, my jatra party had remained stuck at Basudevpur in Bhadrak district. We had to feed people and look after their needs though there was no income. Who understands our pain? If I face such a situation, you can imagine the plight of other jatra owners. Earlier we used to stage shows for 300 days out of 365 days in a year. Now it has been reduced to 260 days. Forty days’ loss is a big thing for us. Besides, the district administrations of Puri, Bargarh and Cuttack are not giving permission to parties to stage shows. Where we will get the funds to run the shows?
Jatra artistes say that due to lack of management, jatras are incurring losses. Is it because the people managing the troupes have betrayed the owners?
It’s true to a great extent... if a landowner tills his land instead of depending on others, he will certainly get more benefits. But if he assigns work to others, he will not get the required profits. Sometimes he may incur losses. We have so many managers including mess manager, cash managers. But they go on their own ways. Sometimes, they don’t match our trust level. But what can we do?
Is it not possible for the Jatra to survive?
We are not interested in running jatras any more. The government is keen to see this folk art form to survive. Let us see for another six months...
Coming to politics, how safe are you in your Assembly constituency as the BJP is emerging as a force there. You must be feeling scared?
I am not facing any challenge. In the last zilla parishad election, it had already been proved that BJD was popular. Because of the Congress’ weakness, the BJP managed to gain some strength. But I will win the seat by more than 50,000 votes in the coming elections. If there is one seat that is safe for the BJD, it’s my constituency.
You may be confident of your area but the BJP is emerging as a major force in other areas of the state…
No one can match the popularity of chief minister Naveen Patnaik. They may make their best efforts, but the BJP will not grow. Recently, a bypoll was held for a zilla parishad zone in Balasore. Earlier, the BJP had won the seat with a good margin. But we snatched the seat with more than 4,000 votes this time. In all the by polls for zilla parishad zones, the BJD has won. Even in Bijepur Assembly bypoll, we are hundred per cent confident that we will win.
Recently we had seen senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra patting your back at the launching of the pictorial biography of Biju Patnaik. Is Mohapatra returning to the BJD?
I am not aware of it. My relationship with him is like that of an elder and younger brother. This has got noting to do with politics. I am too short in stature to say anything on the issue. Our president Naveen Patnaik will take a call on this as and when required.
Your suspended MP from Kendrapara Baijayanta Panda had raised the issue of bureaucratic interference in party affairs. Being a senior minister and party leader, have you ever experienced it?
If you don’t know how to walk, you will certainly blame the road. This is a human habit. If you are good, then all things will revolve around you. It depends on you how you manage all these things. To hide your shortcomings, you should not blame others.
You are heading at least five departments. How do you find time to look after all the departments?
It is a challenging task. But I am doing my duties with a commitment - keeping larger interest of public and our government’s clean image in mind. For one-and-a-half year, I have been dealing with the panchayati raj and drinking water supply departments. I have a grip on both the departments now. Similarly, I had experience in agriculture and the other allied departments earlier as I had been in charge of these departments for almost three-and-a-half years. Nothing is new for me at this moment. Now I am focusing on time management and working for 14 to 16 hours. The chief minister has relied on me as he knows I will not do anything wrong.
Before this stint as agriculture minister, you had announced that government would consider a waiver of crop loan. When will it materialise?
I am optimistic about it. Please, wait. My chief minister is very much concerned about the welfare of farmers. But all aspects have to be scrutinised before taking a final call.
You worked with Biju Patnaik and have been working with Naveen Patnaik. Naveen had also dropped you earlier. How do you find the difference?
Biju babu was very straightforward and whatever comes to his mind, he will tell you. On the other hand, Naveen babu is sober and gentle. He takes a decision after thinking thoroughly.
