Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Anti-incumbency-undercurrent was so strong that many observers were thinking, only a miracle may help BJD continue in power. But, no miracle was needed. Mr. Naveen Patnaik has got the fresh mandate to rule Orissa in absence of Opposition, though people’s support to him seems very positive. He has shown a perfect sample of how serious should politicians be in electioneering, even as under the secret agenda of the Congress high command he was to win.
Orissa, the birthplace of Jagannatha Buddha, and hence of universal brotherhood, is by orientation a secular land in the true sense of secularism and it has proved this uniqueness by ignoring the media generated Modi wave that has overwhelmed whole of India.
The State, where, despite the highest Hindu density, Jagannatha Cult guides the masses, was not supposed to be and has not become a den of BJP.
In view of this, and in absence of the Left, the Congress party should have given the real challenge to Naveen; but Congress versus Congress in Orissa has ensured his victory.
As a result, the State is the loser. To cite just an example, the new House will miss Prasad Harichandan whose researched inputs and legislative acumen had made tremendous contributions to the outgoing Assembly.
Tricks of administration trying to legitimatize the wrongs against the people may find no notable obstacle in an environment of totalitarianism that mandate 2014 has created in absence of a challenging Opposition.
Though people of Balangir deserve unreserved praise for having elected Sri Narasingh Mishra, who would probably lead the CLP in the benches of Opposition, one wishes if Prasad Harichandan of Congress, Bijay Mohapatra of BJP, and Soumya Ranjan Patnaik of Ama Odisha could have come to the House, perhaps the rampart of democracy in Orissa could have been better guided not to take any decision per incuriam which compradors in power generally do when their party enjoys massive majority in the House.
Such a situation would never have emerged had the high-command of Congress not sabotaged the Orissa unit by replacing Niranjan Patnaik with Jayadev Jena when Patnaik had almost revived the dilapidated party in the State and the approaching steps of election were already audible.