Sleepless nights

With the talk of a possible ministry rejig in the air, ministers of the Naveen Patnaik government are reportedly spending sleepless nights. The ministers got a foretaste of things to come with Naveen effecting crucial changes recently in the youth and student wings of the BJD that failed to do any good in the last rural elections. The rattled BJD chief held one-on-one sessions with some party leaders in whose areas the BJD did not fare well in the panchayat elections. Having completed the exercise, he, according to reliable sources, is now contemplating a ministry shuffle to refurbish his government’s image. “He seems determined and his ministers are behaving like a cat on a hot tin roof,” quipped a BJD leader.

Media event

Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee’s recent meeting with Naveen Patnaik at the latter's residence was a media event. Though the two leaders described the meeting as a “courtesy call”, media persons, quite a few of them from Bengal, turned out in strength to cover the event. 

With Naveen Nivas a scene of hustle and bustle, the most worried man was police commissioner Y.B. Khurania, who was on his toes personally supervising security arrangements. He moved around the place issuing instructions to his men to keep things under control. The obvious worry of Khurania was ensuring that reporters did not break the rope barriers put by the policemen to keep them at a safe distance from the two chief ministers. In the end, however, nothing worked as the journalists broke all barriers and managed to get as close as possible to their twin targets throwing questions at them at will.

Worried man

BJD’s Junagarh MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra is a worried man. Some areas of his constituency are reported to be facing a drought-like situation with water not reaching the fields of farmers. Though the MLA, a trained pilot, has taken up the issue with the authorities, the farmers are yet to get any relief. No wonder, resentment is brewing and a possible backlash against the young and suave legislator cannot be ruled out. With the BJP already having made deep inroads into his constituency in the recently-held rural polls, this certainly is not a good sign for Mishra.

Rahul’s nod 

The campaign for removal of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan seems to have intensified  with a group of dissidents suggesting the name of former minister Niranjan Patnaik as his replacement. A senior party MLA, who has been in the vanguard of the anti-Prasad campaign, recently told a news channel that Patnaik, being an experienced leader, would be a good choice. This MLA belongs to the camp that believes Patnaik, who has held the post of OPCC president in the past, possesses both resources and the right leadership qualities to take the beleaguered party forward in the state. But there are others who disagree. Besides, Patnaik is yet to get the blessings of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi who is widely believed to be the final authority in such matters. “Without Rahulji’s nod, nothing will happen,” quipped a senior party leader.  

Big dreams

Once derided as an “outsider” in the Congress, former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das has by now learnt the party ropes well. The teething troubles that haunted him for quite some time after joining the party are over. Not only does he enjoy excellent rapport with top party leadership, his supporters are confident that he would land the party ticket for the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat in the next elections. The dalit leader, who had shot into limelight during the JP movement, is now an important Congressman considered close to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. If sources are to be believed, his confidence level having gone up significantly, he even fancies his chances of leading the state party in the near future.

FOOTNOTE

PR skills

In the wake of BJP’s stellar performance in the panchayat elections and the euphoria generated by the party’s national executive meeting in Bhubaneswar, senior party leaders are sharpening their PR skills. This keeps state BJP’s media cell busy with statements being issued everyday on almost any topic under the sun. Earlier this week, one was pleasantly surprised to read a statement from state party president Basant Panda and legislature party leader K.V. Singh Deo congratulating the students who did well in the matriculation examination. “They are now going all out to generate goodwill ahead of the 2019 elections,” quipped the leader of a rival party.