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Bhubaneswar: When former British PM Winston Churchill had said politics is not a game, it's an earnest business, nearly a year after the big bang 2019 elections, how is the political sensex trending in Odisha. Is the 'business' of politics in State displaying a bullish or bearish trend?
It's well known that in Odisha's political race course, it's a three-party race. While helming the BJD for over 2-decades, CM Naveen Patnaik has emerged as the old warhorse, who was seen now ticking in all the 'business' tricks to raise the BJD turnover.
In contrast, the main opposition BJP has put a new horse to give a gallop start to the State BJP cart and in Congress, it's all about only 'Horseplay'.
In politics, always battle ready is the key word. In battle ready, ruling BJD apparently seizes the initiative here. CM Patnaik was seen shuffling his cards to maximise votes. Like a showman Naveen seems busy in showing new shows to ring up vote volume.
The CM seems donning all hats. From the politics of transparency & development (Mo Sarkar/5T and health sector packages) to the politics of religious heritage (Temple dole outs), Naveen looks busy in trying out at shots of all hues.
True to Churchill's politics as business maxim, Naveen's Rajya Sabha seat trade off with BJP is seen as a master political stroke. How a masterstroke, when BJD could have sent off one of its senior member to RS?
Many political observers termed the trade-off a barter exchange - an exchange under duress to ward off CBI evil. But for keen political watchers, Naveen has a strategy behind. The strategy here has been to drive down the message to voters the message of 'Main Hoon Na' - which means vote for BJD, because I am there to take care of Modi's SOS moments.
Significantly, Naveen within a span of nearly a year after 2019 polls, without losing time has started implementing all the USP's of Modi in Odisha. The biz module, observers feel, is only to slump BJP's political stock in the State.
Consider how Modi recipes are on Naveen's menu list: In 2019 elections, the feisty BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, who was BJP's Puri Candidate and who gave a run for money to BJD, then had declared that Modi will do a Varanasi for Puri, which means the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project Modi implemented in Benaras will be replicated in Puri.
The interesting watchout here is Naveen's first mega announcement post the poll result was the ambitious Puri Heritage Corridor. He didn't limit it to Puri. The heritage politics traversed from the iconic Lingaraj temple (Bhubaneswar) to famous Samleswari temple in Sambalpur.
Anothet glaring instance of Modi encore is, on the lines of dismissal of corrupt public servants from central services by PM Modi, Naveen did an encore here. The CMO keeps reeling out the dismissal numbers day in and day out. The list is long, including support for CAA.
The politics of doing Modi encore here is, Naveen plans to snuff out all puddings from BJP's plate. The big reason is Naveen knows it's not BJD - BJP fight, rather Naveen - Modi Charisma clash. During the 2019 polls, BJP tried every tricks to make the fight between Naveen - Modi in Odisha. And results delivered the message. While Naveen ceded ground to Modi in Lok Sabha polls, he dominated the State pollscape.
Naveen himself had termed the 2019 polls the hardest ever. It's for those goose bumps Naveen faced from Modi, post poll he decided to implement all Modi USPs, so that BJP will not get a pitch to resurrect its innings.
For BJP, outliving from Big Daddy (Modi) is a big challenge in this new year. Because, the 2019 poll message is crystal clear. Be it State or local elections, PM Modi is not going to be a factor in Odisha, unlike UP, from where Modi is an MP.
And a year has gone by. But the State BJP's counter strategy is yet to see printed.
When it comes to the Grand Old Party Congress, the story is all about 'Horseplay' & 'catfight'. Congress is seen ducking only 'bouncers' after 'bouncers'. The bouncer of slipping to 3rd spot from the bouncer row in party office recently.
