Bhubaneswar: Ever since the BJP and BJD declared their candidates for Kendrapara parliamentary constituency, the segment, one of the most sensitive among the coastal belts, undoubtedly has turned out to be the political hotbed of Odisha.
On one side is BJP’s heavyweight Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, the former Kendrapara MP who has served two consecutive LS terms, while on another is newbie in politics Anubhav Mohanty who is on his first term as Rajya Sabha member and has been pitted by the BJD for the seat.
With the amount of sweat and blood Panda has devoted to his constituency over the last decade, political pundits predict a cakewalk win for him in comparison to his BJD opponent, an actor by profession. As is known to all, Anubhav has the distinction of doing lead roles in many movies of Tarang Cine Productions which happens to be a creative brainchild of Panda’s wife.
Names of candidates declaration for Kendrapara by BJD, however, changed many old equations. Soon, Anubhav started speaking dialogues scripted not by filmmakers but politicians. Besides speaking crudely about Panda, the actor started delivering speeches on Industrialisation, migration and water problems of Kendrapara. He also wanted to solve Kashmir problem! But rhetoric gave way to more insecurity the day actor Babusan stepped on campaign trail as star campaigner with Panda.
Addressing a huge public rally in Derabish of Kendrapara, Babusan stressed that Kendrapara needs a real hero like Baijayant Panda, not a reel hero who is 'good at dialogue delivery reading from script'.
"Baijayant Panda has been working hard for the development of the area for the last 10 years. He has been fighting for Kendrapara, to uphold its esteem. He is not just the people's representative but stood by the people as a friend, in good and bad times. I don't know politics, but I am not dumb. Dialogue delivery won't work here. Kendrapara needs a real and original hero. Kendrapara needs son of the soil, Baijayant Panda."
However, responding to Babusan's 'Jay-Panda-Real-Hero' comments, BJD's Anubhav Mohanty said, "He (Babusan) was talking about himself. I am a Rajya Sabha member and BJD Lok Sabha candidate. He (Babusan) has stated that reel hero won't work here, when he himself happens to be a reel hero. He meant people should not take his words seriously. May be he has been promised with some films and awards and has taken money for campaigning."
Well, only time will tell who will emerge victorious, but for now, being “his master’s voice” will boomerang for Anubhav, feel observers. They also say, his immaturity shouldn’t give way to haughtiness and pride particularly when he is fighting against a person whose work speaks for him and who is an out and out people’s person.