Factional political crisis in Rayagada: the way ahead
Rayagada (Dr. Badal Kumar Tah): After a group of BJD leaders including Ex-Rajya Sabha MP N Bhaskar Rao, Ex-Minister Lal Bihari Himirika, Ex- Zilla Parishad Chairman Gangadhar Puala, presently officiating Rayagada Municipality Chairman Mahesh Patnaik, Rayagada Block Chairperson Tuni Huika, Kashipur Block Chairperson Kantha Majhi, a few other ZP members from different blocks and many more workers resigned from BJD party as primary members and floated a socio-political outfit named Biju Swabhiman Mancha, the newly elected President of BJD Jagannath Saraka held a press meet to refute all charges levelled against party leadership.
Though BJD recently nominated Gangadhar Puala as party’s Working President to maintain a balance between Sudhir Das and Bhaskar Rao factions, Rao and his aides were not satisfied with party’s decision and they decided to quit enmasse. Rao blamed the party’s leadership of a self-esteem deficit. “Though I contributed to the party for last fifty one years, self-vanity was lacking in the party for last 4 to 5 years. With a heavy heart we are compelled to quit the party”, said Rao in a sobbing voice. He emphasized that he will not join Congress or BJP and will be engaged in social services through the outfit named Biju Swabhiman Mancha.
District BJD President Jagannath Saraka, who is also an Ex-Cabinet Minister, refuted all the charges levelled against the Party as baseless during a press meet, where officiating Rayagada Zilla Parishad Chairperson & Vice-Chairman, Rayagada Municipality Vice-chairperson, Sr Advocate Braja Sundar Nayak, Ex-MLA Gunupur and a few other PRI members were present. Saraka assured the public that his party will still be stronger minus Rao.
Ex-BJD President Sudhir Das, who adored the dias during the press meet said,” Bhaskar Rao is a fraud, a power hankering person and manipulator. Out of BJD Govt’s 24 years tenure, Rao has enjoyed power for 22 years in different prominent position and reigned a parallel structure like (B)haskar Janata Dal or (B)usinnesmaan Janata Dal. Out of 365 days of the year he spent hardly 25 days in Rayagada and controlled his business empire from Visakhapatnam, AP. He used his supporters as pre-paid agents. Once the money given to them gets exhausted, they did not work. Rao’s statements are fake like his fake graduation certificate arranged from Alagappa University at the age of sixty. He extorted money from Telugu community to which he belonged. He misused his power and did not even spare Rayagada’s living deity Sri Sri Majhighariani by usurping Temple Trust’s assets. Many of the BJD workers, who were present in his resignation drama, expressed that really were not aware of Rao’s motives and will continue in BJD. We tried our level best to pursue Rao to be disciplined and take up some advisory role in the Party, but in vein. He wanted power for himself and his henchmen.” If Rao was so committed to the Party, why did he resign from BJD, when it not in power ? Why is he using Biju Babu’s name in his recently formed outfit ? asked Das. Let him name the outfit as Bhaskar Swabhiman Manch, face the pinch. You throw a stone to any place in Rayagada, his name will come out, of course for a bad purpose, said Das.
In the mean time, 19 out of total 21 ward councilors of Rayagada Municipality including Chairman Mahesh Pattanaik have brought no confidence motion against Subhra Panda, who is Vice-Chairperson of Rayagada Municipality. They have met the Collector and handed over the letter of no-confidence motion. Subhra is a staunch supporter of Sudhir-Jagannath BJD faction. Though all these 19 councillors have won the election in Conch symbol and claimed that they had resigned from BJD, continuing in their respective post as independents would be a question mark. Similarly the present Zilla Parishad Chairperson is also continuing in BJD party including a few ZP members. Bhaskar Rao also has few ZP members with him. His faction is planning to have a no confidence motion against ZP Chairperson and few block chairpersons. It may lead to a series of legal complicacies.
Amidst all these mudslinging, new permutations and combinations will certainly emerge as Rao is a seasoned politician and he can’t keep him outside the political vendetta. Political analysts forecast that he may join Telugu Desam Party(TDP) and exert his influence in Rayagada as TDP is a natural ally of BJP in NDA alliance. It also seems that Rao is in touch with Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and other top notch BJP leaders and they have given a green signal. In politics, anything is possible. As it is almost a war between Sudhir Dash and Bhaskar Rao, the maxim like “Everything is fair in war and politics” is going to be true in Rayagada. Though it is not that easy, but Rao is very competent in winning several wars of politics. It will still be little easy for him as the BJD empire is crumbling at many places of Odisha and BJP’s vow for a “Congress Mukt Bharat” & in this case it is “BJD mukt Odisha” will be a boon for Bhaskar. If Rao allies with power that be, ie, with BJP, the situation will still be complex because of non-acceptance syndrome faced by the local BJP leaders including Yalla Konda Babu, who is a strong enemy of Bhaskar Rao.
With this kind political instability & turmoil, development process in the entire district could be hampered.
