Poor response

The hype surrounding the much-awaited Make in Odisha conclave to be held in Bhubaneswar towards the end of this month notwithstanding, the response to the event does not seem to be encouraging. The pre-event meetings and get-togethers being organised in various parts of the country have reportedly failed to enthuse the state government officials though none would admit it openly. Sources said that at one of such gatherings in Delhi, the invitees appeared less than interested in the pep talk of industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra about investment prospects in the state and how it was being fast-tracked on the industrial front. The invitees, according to sources, were more interested in the food on the offer. So much for Odisha government's efforts woo investors.

Nothing official

Surprising from a protocol point of view, Indonesia's ambassador to India Rizali Wilmar Indrakesuma, who was in the state recently to take part in the conference organised by the Kalinga Lanka Foundation as part of the Kalinga Indonesia dialogue at the Ravenshaw University, had no formal interaction either with chief minister Naveen Patnaik or any high-ranking official of the state government.

Normally, such dignitaries, irrespective of the country they belong to, are either invited over by the chief minister or by his officials. The least that they expect is a courtesy call. In this case, nothing of the kind seems to have taken place which, given the hype over Odisha-Indonesia relations, might appear shocking.

Pradhan visit

The political war over Japanese encephalitis deaths in Malkangiri got murkier following Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's visit to the district last week with the BJP accusing chief minister Naveen Patnaik of trying to scuttle the minister's plan to meet the affected families in the interior areas. The party alleged that the district police's refusal to provide security to the minister citing Maoist menace was actually a "conspiracy" hatched at the instance of the chief minister, who is battling to save his government's image in the wake of the mounting death toll in the district.

Pradhan was constrained to take the BSF's help to visit the badly affected villages such as Palkonda and Dariguda. BJD leaders dismissed the allegation as a cheap political gimmick. "This is a stunt aimed at garnering votes in the upcoming panchayat polls. But, it won't succeed," said a party leader.

On back foot

Ever since being snubbed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik over his remarks about the Congress no more being untouchable for the BJD, party's Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, who has now been served with a showcause notice, has reportedly been shunning party programmes graced by Naveen. He was nowhere to be seen when the chief minister launched the party's signature campaign on the Mahanadi issue in Cuttack recently. Sources said the MP, who happens to be BJD's leader in the Lok Sabha, is also miffed with some of the party spokespersons, who took a dig at him in the wake of the controversy triggered by his statement, which he later described as his personal opinion.

"The episode has definitely strained his relations with the chief minister. But what riles him more is how the lower-rung leaders have reacted to it," said a BJD leader.

Abrasive tongue

Given his penchant for courting controversies, most senior BJD leaders are reluctant to be seen in the company of excise minister Damodar Rout.

The minister reportedly cut a sorry figure when revenue minister Bijayshree Routray and higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi did not turn up for the inaugural event of the Kalinga Baliyatra, a major festival recalling the state's maritime tradition, in Paradip that happens to be Rout's constituency.

Sources said Routray and Panigrahy pulled out at the last moment apparently not sure how their participation would be viewed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who is said to be less than happy with Rout whose abrasive tongue has cut many BJD leaders to the quick in the past.

FOOTNOTE

Hornet's nest

BJD's Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Kumar Patasani seems to have stirred a hornet's nest with his statement at a recent event in the state capital that greedy wives encourage their husbands to indulge in corruption.

Women have taken umbrage to the "unwarranted" and "insensitive" statement of the saffron-robed politician with one of them penning a rejoinder that appeared in a local Odia daily.

The writer poked fun at the MP for portraying women as hungry for money and jewellery and asked him if women could be also be held responsible for the other ills plaguing the contemporary society and how did he propose to discipline them. As a debate rages over his controversial statement the otherwise vocal Patasani has been curiously silent.