By-poll worries

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who recently effected a ministry rejig to refurbish his government’s image, remains worried about the fallout of the CBI case against sitting party MP Ramchandra Hansda and the action he has initiated against Lok Sabha member from Kendrapara Baijayant Panda. If things go wrong on the Hansda front, he may end up losing his Lok Sabha membership forcing a by-election. Panda, too, has the potential to force the chief minister’s hand causing a snap poll in his constituency. Naveen would certainly not relish the prospects of two Lok Sabha by-polls at this juncture. 

Power pangs

Elevation to the cabinet rank may have brought cheers to Prafulla Mallick, but the additional charge of energy department along with steel and mines that he earlier handled has robbed him of his sleep. With summer at its peak and frequent power-cuts making the life of people miserable, the minister, according to sources, is flooded with complaints. While he can do little about recurrent power-cuts given the precarious state of power infrastructure in the state, he remains worried about the impact of the phenomenon on his popularity. “It could even affect his electoral prospects,” said a sympathetic BJD leader. 

Fall from grace

The ministers dropped by chief minister Naveen Patnaik are yet to come to terms with the sudden loss of trappings of power. While the official vehicles with red beacons are gone, the special security they enjoyed as ministers has also been withdrawn. The hangers-on and the supplicants, who used to be a regular sight at their residences, have suddenly disappeared having realised that there is nothing more to be gained from them. Once pressed for time, they now have lots of time to kill, so much so that one of these deposed ministers recently went to watch the late show of a movie with friends after a long time. “Now, they have all the time in the world to indulge such passions,” quipped a leader. 

Question mark

The axing of Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das from the ministry is likely to have repercussions for his brother-in-law and cine star Arindam whose fledgling political career is yet to take off. During the last panchayat elections, Das, who then held the important energy portfolio, put Arindam at the forefront of the BJD’s campaign in Jajpur district. He was projected as the party’s star campaigner, who, with the backing of Das & co, easily overshadowed actor-turned-Korei MLA and Akash Das Nayak. Many saw Arindam as a potential rival for Nayak as far as the Korei Assembly seat was concerned. But with Das out of the ministry equations in Jajpur, things are likely to change with a big question mark over Arindam’s political career. Nayak can breathe easy now. 

FOOTNOTE

Fiery leader

Unlike his rather quiet predecessor Pradeep Amat, new health minister Pratap Jena is not only vocal but is also willing to take on the BJP. He has struck an aggressive posture on the admissions to the newly set up Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada. When Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan taunted the state government by saying it should ensure that the college did not produce Munnabhai MBBS-type doctors, Jena retorted that Pradhan’s comments were prompted by jealousy as the state government had won a major battle by securing permission for admissions in the institute from the current academic session.