Losing balance

BJD MP Prasanna Patasani’s antics during a programme organised in the state capital to commemorate the heroics of legendary freedom fighter Buxi Jagabandhu grabbed a lot of eyeballs. Egged on by supporters, the saffron-robed Lok 
Sabha member from Bhubaneswar, who has been nicknamed baba by party colleagues, tried to strike the famous Buxi Jagabandhu pose by mounting on a horse with a sword in hand. But the horse jibbed and baba almost fell off its back. 
However, not to be deterred, he gave it another try and succeeded on the second attempt amidst loud cheers. Asked if he fell down the first time because he had lost balance, baba shot back: “ Not me, it was the horse that lost its balance.” 

Facebook pals

Former minister and senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra has been making good use of the social media to reach out to friends and followers. He went a step further on the Republic Day when he organised a bandhu milan (get together) for his Facebook friends in Bhubaneswar. 

The invitation for the event was posted on Mohapatra’s Facebook page whose next post was to thank the participants, which included politicians and journalists, among others. 
“I extend my heartfelt thanks for your presence in bandhu milan. It was an opportunity to know each other and add a personal touch to our friendships. Special thanks to friends from Balasore, Chandbali, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Mahakalapara, Patkura and other places who travelled long distances to join us today,” wrote the leader who sure knows how to connect with the mass.

Strong faith

Excise minister and BJD veteran Damodar Rout has been through many sticky situations in his long political career. But every time, he has managed to land on his feet. A master of the survival game, he was being written off by critics following his acrimonious war of words with Cuttack-Barabati MLA Debashish Samantray, his current bete noire and arch rival Bishnu Das over the resignation of Cuttack mayor Anita Behera. Speculation was rife that Rout, the seniormost minister in the state cabinet, would be taken to task by chief minister Naveen Patnaik for engaging in a slanging match with these leaders. But with Naveen entrusting him with the task of making preparations on behalf of BJD for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Paradip to inaugurate the Indian Oil Corporation refinery, his critics had been proved wrong. “It is now amply clear that he still enjoys the chief minister’s confidence. And that is what really matters,” said a senior BJD leader. 

Meet and greet 

There seems to be a competition among BJD leaders to congratulate and felicitate chief minister Naveen Patnaik for the various achievements of his government. They have been flocking to Naveen Nivas with supporters to greet him. Recently, agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy landed  at Naveen’s residence with a bunch of farmers carrying vegetables and other farm products that were offered to the chief minister. Maharathy was felicitating Naveen after the Centre bestowed the Krushi Karmana Award on the state government for doing well in the field of agriculture. But the award was just an excuse, the real purpose of Maharathy’s visit being to keep the chief minister in good humour as speculation is rife about a possible ministry rejig.

Silence pays 

Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who sparked off a controversy by flagging off the India Oil Corporation’s campaign vehicles ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to the state, has been strangely quiet on the issue though his party colleagues are engaged in a war of words with the BJD. 
Sources in the BJP said Pradhan, a shrewd politician, has been quick to realise that any attempt by him to defend his action would not only be seen as an admission of guilt but might further stoke the controversy which has already taken
a toll on his party’s image. So, he has decided to speak as less as possible on the issue.

FOOTNOTE

Gag order

State Congress president Prasad Harichandan seems to be under gag orders from the party high command following the recent controversy that had brought him face to face with party colleague and former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das. Though they have patched up apparently after being rapped by the central leadership, Harichandan has since then been avoiding making comments on controversial issues. 

So much so that he is yet to issue any significant statement on the war of words between the BJP and BJD over the Paradip oil refinery with both the parties trying to take credit for it, though many in the Congress think the project was actually the brainchild of their party at the Centre.  

“It is time our party president came up with a detailed statement on this,” said a Congress leader.