Naveen’s fanboy
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik's fan following seems to be growing with each passing day. If comments on his Facebook page are anything to go by, he is already being considered Prime Minister material. “I would love to see this man as the PM of our country one day! He is an educated politician unlike Modi, he is an able administrator unlike Manmohan Singh, he is a nationalist unlike Kejriwal, he is emotionally stable unlike Mamata, he is really an honest man unlike the Gandhis... More to the point he is really an efficient executor... He is a complete PM material!” raved one of his admirers.
Backhand move
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s habit of reading from prepared texts while delivering speeches in Odia caused some mirth at the inauguration of the Sargi Phul festival organised by the state SC and ST development department on Adivasi ground in Bhubaneswar. There were amused whispers as a section of the audience noticed him passing the first page that he had finished reading to the security officer standing behind him. However, the next time Naveen thrust his hand back to give the officer the second page, no one took it from him. The security officer was apparently inattentive which forced the chief minister to keep moving his hand backward and forward till he finally got the guard’s attention. Those who watched what had happened could not suppress a chuckle.
In a hurry
Known for taking things easy, chief minister Naveen Patnaik, for once, appeared to be in a hurry to deliver his address at the inauguration of the Odisha Nutrition Action Plan at Soochna Bhavan in Bhubaneswar last Thursday. Even before the anchor could complete the formality of inviting him to deliver his speech, a seemingly impatient Naveen, who had had a flight scare in Koraput district earlier in the day, rushed to the lectern and began his address. As one rightly guessed from his impatience, it turned out to be a brief speech. But even more brief was his off-stage interaction with reporters that lasted barely 30 seconds.
Promising MLA
BJD’s Junagadh MLA Capt. Dibya Shankar Mishra is said to have received a pat on his back from chief minister Naveen Patnaik for the hard work he put in to make Friday’s Air Show in Cuttack a success. A former pilot, Mishra took personal interest in organising the event that drew a huge crowd. Mishra, who was handpicked by Naveen as a BJD spokes-person, is also working to bring his constituency, once notorious for hunger and starvation deaths, on the development map of Odisha and the country. If sources are to be believed, Mishra would be a serious contender for a ministerial berth if and when Naveen decides to expand his ministry.
Poster boy cop
Additional director-general of police Satyajit Mohanty is emerging as the poster boy of Odisha police. He is the officer most trusted to handle emergencies with his services most sought after during rath yatra and such events where tact is required. The other day when BJP workers tried to gherao the DGP office in Cuttack to protest against violence during the party-sponsored Bhuban-eswar “bandh”, it was Mohanty who came to the rescue of state police, handling the situation with tact. The fire spitting BJP leaders mellowed down as soon as he came out to negotiate with them and left the place after submitting a memorandum.
FOOTNOTE
Still popular
Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena’s fate might be hanging in balance following allegations of a sex scandal, but his popularity among councillors remains undiminished. Speculation about his likely resignation and the possibility of him being asked to nominate his successor have the councillors making a beeline to his residence. Each one wants to be in his good books and would not speak a word against him even provoked. “Jena might be in a tight spot but within the corporation, he continues to call the shots,” said a councillor.
Ashutosh mishra