The announcement of four young faces for Rajya Sabha has laid rest to the hope and expectation of several senior leaders whose names were already doing rounds in the political corridors.
After Chief Minister and ruling BJD President Naveen Patnaik announced the names of Sulata Deo, Manas Mangaraj, Niranjan Bishi and Sasmit Patra for Rajya Sabha seats, several senior, capable and loyal leaders who had been assured a RS seat and thus aspiring for being nominated, are now reportedly down in the dumps.
Such a decision of the party Supremo has left political pundits to conjecture that it may be an initial sign of the party’s strategy for the 2024 general election.
Political corridors are also abuzz with talks that those who are closer to the power centre are being picked up.
Considering the BJD’s strength, all the four candidates will be elected uncontested to Rajya Sabha, increasing the number of BJD MPs to nine of the total 10 from Odisha. However, there will be no senior leaders in the House from Odisha.
Those leaders who have been given a short shrift by the party high command, while not expressing their emotions; an evidently palpable discontent is there among them.
“I can’t disobey him (Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik) for not considering me for Rajya Sabha,” said senior Vice President Prasanna Patasani.
Echoing Patasani’s views, senior leader Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik said, “Why should I feel sad? He has kept his promises. I have tried my level best to discharge the responsibility he has given me.”
According to senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty, the first and second generations have been ignored. “Third generation leaders have been promoted who are closer to the power centre. It is sending out a new and different message,” Mohanty said.
At the same time, the Paschima Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangha has been critical of the BJD for nominating Niranjan Bishi, who once opposed BJD.
“During the time of three-tier panchayat election, we had launched an agitation against the BJD under his leadership. We can’t accept this and Adivasi Mahasangha has condemned this,” said Paramananda Majhi, Kalahandi district president, Paschima Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangha.