Niali number
Niali’s mysterious sheep killer, which has been giving sleepless nights to forest officials, has now become the stuff of folklore with even a song being dedicated to it. Set to a foot-tapping tune, the song contains lyrics like “Net re photo asila, news re khabar asila, bhaina dar lagila, Niali re kie asi mendha marila, Odisha sara pura chahal padila” (Its picture has come on the Internet, there is mention of it in the news, brother it’s very scary. Who killed sheep in Niali? The issue has caused a flutter across the state).
While the song has taken social media by storm and people in cities are humming it happily, forest officials camping in Niali are still struggling to catch the predator.
Selfie savvy
After the panchayat polls that saw the BJP make inroads into the BJD’s vote bank, chief minister Naveen Patnaik seems to be seeking an image makeover. A testament to this has been his increased accessibility as evident from the number of selfies people have since clicked with him. Since the panchayat election results were announced in February, people, especially youths, have been seen clicking selfies with the chief minister on several occasions, the latest being at BJD leader Munna Khan’s Iftar party in the state capital last week when young girls requested Naveen for selfies and he immediately obliged.
Babu culture
Allegations that powerful bureaucrats close to the chief minister interfering not only in government but even the BJD’s affairs have surfaced several times in the past. The latest on this front is that even BJD spokespersons are being tutored by these babus, who call the shots from the third floor of the secretariat. “These spokespersons, especially the younger ones, visit the secretariat daily to take dictation from these bureaucrats,” said an insider, adding that the BJD’s political line on issues were being decided by mandarins who should ideally keep themselves away from politics.
Lonely battle
Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra seems to be ploughing a lonely furrow in the party. He has put himself out on a limb with his aggressive stance on the issue of jobs for local Odia youths in the Paradip oil refinery. Not only does he happen to be the state’s sole BJP leader to talk about it, he has also dared to raise accusing fingers at Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, leaving his colleagues aghast. Since the issue has political repercussions for Pradhan, no one in the party is willing to support Mohapatra who, it seems, will have to fight this battle all alone.
Liquor battle
An interesting tug of war has ensued between the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Khurda district administration over the shifting of a foreign liquor shop in the Jayadev Vihar area of Bhubaneswar. The shop was earlier located at Jayadev Vihar Square, but had to be shut as it abutted a national highway. The Khurda district administration granted it a licence for relocation in a dense residential area of Jayadev Vihar, triggering immediate protests. The civic body has sided with the local residents and resisted the district administration’s move, but the latter has so far stuck to its guns.
FOOTNOTE
Balancing act
State BJP chief Basant Panda is struggling to strike a balance between the factions led by Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and former ministers Bijoy Mohapatra and Dilip Ray. Though, personally, he is said to have a soft spot for Pradhan who many see as the party’s chief ministerial face in 2019, he cannot but perform a balancing act in the party’s larger interest at a juncture considered crucial for its prospects in Odisha. “If Panda successfully does this tightrope walk, his own future would be secure,” said a senior BJP leader.
