Bhubaneswar: Matching blow-for-blow, the ruling-BJD and BJP in Odisha are all out to outscore each other in every possible way as they prepare to lock horns in the 2019 polls.
While BJD launched ‘The Tall Man Biju Patnaik’ book on January 27 at a function which was attended by frontline national leaders from different parties, BJP countered the move with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launching ‘Dhamanire Shaurya,’ a book on freedom fighters on April 1.
“The book is a tribute to all legendary personalities who had fought for their motherland Odisha. ‘Dhamanire Shaurya’ is the history of the State and Odia race. On the other hand, ‘The Tall Man’ is only about a person. Both the books are totally different,” said senior BJP leader, Biswabhusan Harichandan.
Commenting on the matter, senior BJD leader Damodar Rout said, “BJP has launched a competition to get political mileage. They want to show that they love the heroic people of the State the most.”
One can easily smell political jostling from such verbal exchange.
This is not the only case; BJD formed the 'Biju Yuba Bahini’ (Youth Brigade) as part of its ambitious plan to connect with the youths in all panchayats and blocks of Odisha. Soon after, the BJD decision was countered by BJP which came up with its own youth mobilisation program ‘Nua Odisha Nirman Abhiyan’.
When BJD held special programmes in every district the on occasion of the Utkal Divas, BJP organised Utkal Divas Samaroha at the party's block offices.
However, experts are not able to digest such politics over books and the race between the two parties to gain political advantage out of the same.
“Personalities of historical significance should be glorified and their stories must be told to the masses. But that does not mean political parties should take political mileage by publishing books,” said senior journalist, Prasanna Mohanty.
Echoing similar views, educationist, Pritish Acharya said, “There might be an effort to get political benefit out of the book releases. I do not believe it will have any influence on people in the long run.”