Naveen snub

Former minister and BJD’s Brajrajnagar MLA Mangala Kisan was reportedly chided by chief minister Naveen Patnaik while voting in the presidential election at the Assembly on Monday. Sources said Kisan, who was standing in the queue with Opposition MLAs, had just entered the polling booth and was making inquiries with officials there when the chief minister arrived on the scene. Apparently unhappy at Kisan trying to cast his vote ahead of him, Naveen reportedly ticked off the tribal veteran from Sundargarh who left the place in a hurry. This, according to sources, was the second time in the last few months that Kisan was snubbed by the chief minister. The earlier occasion was when he had rushed to Bhubaneswar from his constituency a day ahead of the last ministry re-jig effected by Naveen in the hope of finding a berth.

Rising stock

Sports and youth affairs minister Chandrasarathi Behera is having a great run of luck. After being included in the ministry by chief minister Naveen Patnaik against expectations, he has been quick to make his mark and earn his boss’s trust. But his crowning glory has been the successful organisation of the Asian Athletics Championship in Bhubaneswar earlier this month. While Behera is still collecting accolades, his political stock has gone up and his department, once considered low-profile, has gained in importance. “Now, it is one of the most coveted portfolios, all thanks to Behera,” said a BJD leader.

Sound advice

If sources are to be believed, aspirants for the vice-chancellor’s job at different state universities have been advised by the panel of experts, which will scrutinise their credentials, to keep their applications a secret in their own interest.
They have been told that sharing details of their application might result in a flood of hostile petitions against their candidature reaching the panel.

“These may come from jealous rivals who are looking for an opportunity to run others down. Hence, the advice to keep the applications a secret,” said a source aware of the issue.

Candid take

Maverick BJD MP from Dhenkanal Tathagata Satpathy is not one to shy away from commenting on issues that others may find embarrassing. The MP, who was in the news a few years ago for his candid take on the use of cannabis, took to Twitter recently to back the campaign for keeping sanitary napkins out of the GST purview. “I support the campaign to make sanitary napkins GST exempt. Female hygiene is vital & should not be taxed,” Satpathy tweeted, which must have warmed the hearts of many women. This was followed by another intelligent and interesting tweet on the subject. “Condoms go untaxed. Maybe because GST Council is all men, sanitary napkins’ importance went unnoticed.”  

Brand support

“Fit hain boss,”  the tagline made famous by Akshay Kumar, the brand ambassador of a well-known innerwear manufacturer, may soon gain popularity in Bhubaneswar. If sources are to be believed, the company, which has a countrywide presence, has offered a helping hand to the municipal corporation.The company, said sources, was likely to donate 100 water purifiers to the civic body for installation across the state capital, including one in front of the corporation’s office.

“The state capital needs water purifiers at public places and anyone offering a helping hand is welcome,” remarked a Bhubaneswar resident.

Return to favour

BJD’s Banki MLA Pravat Tripathy, who was suspended from the party in 2014 following his arrest in connection with the money deposit collection scam, seems to have shed the “pariah” tag that he had earned in the controversy’s wake. That the party no more considered him as untouchable was evident when he accompanied chief minister Naveen Patnaik and other party MLAs from Cuttack district ahead of the inauguration of the new bridge over the Kathjodi on Wednesday. Sources said he was also seen travelling with the chief minister in the same car. Now, Tripathy would hope for the case against him to be decided in his favour.  

Ashutosh Mishra