Soumya leading disgruntled leaders pack hearsay?

Bhubaneswar, July 12

For the past few days, the political grapevine in Odisha is abuzz with talks of resentment in the ruling Biju Janata Dal that could lead to a possible split in the party. This assumes importance in the context of developments in Maharashtra and Goa in the past two weeks and the BJP National Executive deliberation at Hydrabad focusing on the party’s stress on the eastern part of the country. The buzz in a section of the ruling BJD, in power for the past 22 years, is about grumbling in the party. Be it over organizational matters or the government. The remarks of a senior party leader Soumyaranjan Patnaik, a journalist turned politician, have hinted about his unhappiness in the party that possible has added fuel to the ‘revolt’ fire.

Like any other party there are disgruntled elements in the ruling party also. Several seniors have been attributed with statements, which is not on the lines of the party. But the ‘revolt’ in a party that has been ruling uninterruptedly for the past 23 years under the leadership of a Chief Minister with unblemished administrative records is not something which can be digested or taken lightly.

The buzz is several leaders of the party want to switch allegiance to the saffron party or form a separate entity to counter the growing influence of the BJD. Several reasons have been attributed of which one of the most important is that senior leaders of the party are being systematically sidelined. The truth is not visible though.

According to reports in a section of the media, these disgruntled party MLAs and MPs are looking for an opportunity to switch their allegiance and are hobnobbing with other political parties, mainly the Bhartiya Janata Party. These reports further say that these leaders are trying to group under the leadership of Soumya Ranjan Patnaik to give a jolt to the ruling party. However, none in the party confirms these developments while some say that the ruling party is unlikely to be affected even if a Maharashtra like situation emerges. According to party sources, the leadership of Naveen Patnaik is ‘unquestionable’ and his handling of the party affairs is perhaps the most effective. Even if someone tries to engineer a split in the party may not succeed at all. The loyality of the party’s MLAs and MPs is beyond doubt, they claim.

Coming back to Soumya Ranjan. From being one of Naveen Patnaik’s most vociferous critics, the editor-politician overnight became a BJD member and Rajya Sabha MP, when he joined the party in March of 2018. Before that he’d rallied against the government for Odia to be made the official language, farmers’ distress and restoring savings lost to fraudulent chit fund companies.

He also joined the BJP, briefly the NCP, returned to the Congress only to be expelled after his elder brother Niranjan Patnaik was removed as State president in 2012, set up his own political party Ama Odisha and then joined the BJD in 2018. It is the baggage of being late CM JB Patnaik’s son-in law that has weighed most heavy on him.

The past political record of Soumya Ranjan could possibly have encouraged a section in the media to hazard the guess that he could engineer a split in the party. It has also been said by the same media that Patnaik is unhappy as he is being ‘ignored’ by the Chief Minister during reshuffle of his council of ministers or assigning any plum post to him in the party.

The funniest part is that the reports in the media appear to be based on hearsays and have never been authenticated by any party leaders at any stage. It is a fact that a leader like Soumya Ranjan knows it well that engineering a split in the Biju Janata Dal is something unthinkable as long as Naveen Patnaik controls the rein.