Bhubaneswar, June 15: The BJD, which had sought to inject the X-factor into the race for Rashtrapati Bhavan by throwing its weight behind P.A. Sangma, finds itself on a sticky wicket in the changed political scenario.
Sources said the party had been rattled by Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa’s silence on Sangma following her meeting with BJP stalwart L.K. Advani yesterday though she had initially been proactive about garnering support in favour of the tribal leader from Meghalaya.
Though the BJD continues to maintain that there is no change in its stand on backing the former Lok Sabha speaker for the highest office of the country, chances of the party having a rethink on the issue are not being ruled out. Sources said it would wait for the NDA to open its cards before taking a final call.
Senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Baishnab Parida said: “As of now, we are still supporting Sangma. But, I spoke to chief minister Naveen Patnaik today and he told me that we should wait for the NDA’s decision.”
The situation seems to have taken an interesting turn with the UPA announcing the candidature of Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for the top job. Mukherjee is said to be on good terms with many senior leaders of the BJD and is said to have recommended Parida to the chief minister for the membership of the House of Elders in 2010.
In an interview to The Telegraph, BJD general secretary Narendra Swain admitted that the party leadership had considered Parida over him for the Rajya Sabha after Mukherjee rang up Naveen.
BJD sources said they were upset over Jayalaithaa suddenly becoming tightlipped over Sangma. “Supporting Sangma was the joint decision of our chief minister and Jayalalithaa. We are really anguished that she has clammed up on the issue after meeting Advani in Chennai,” said a senior party leader.
Sources said Naveen, who had been working hard towards evolving a new front of like-minded parties at the national level, might not prefer the kind of political isolation that could be thrust upon him in the event of his party being seen as the only one left supporting the NCP veteran, who has failed to find favour from his own party. “We are sure the chief minister will weigh all these factors before taking a call,” said a senior BJD leader.
Meanwhile, within the BJD voting for the presidential polls is being seen as an acid test of loyalty in the wake of recent coup attempt against Naveen by a group of MLAs led by Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra. On the face of it, however, the MLAs have sought to dispel fears of cross-voting in the elections which would see them expressing their preference through a secret ballot.
The MLA from Jatni, Bibhuti Balwantray, who along with Mohapatra and another MLA, was suspended from the party earlier this month, said: “I am loyal to the party. Whatever decision the party supremo takes, we will abide by it. There can be no beimani (treachery) in these matters.”
