By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: After God Father Naveen Patnaik voted out of power, desperate Spin Doctors VK Pandian-Sujata Karikeyan quit job, becomes fugitive and sometimes on run, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s third chance in Rajya Sabha from Odisha looks grim, key Financier Tamil Mines Mafia B Prabhakaran may desert Odisha soon.
If media reports are to be believed, B Prabhakaran, the Robbinhood and Reddy Brothers of Odisha Mining scam, is likely to shift his establishment from this eastern State to Maharashtra, another BJP ruled State.
With joint mining business of Triveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd MD B Prabhakaran, JSW Steel’s Sajjan Jindal and BJP Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw hitting news headlines in regular intervals, the Tamil mining contactor is planning to shift his venture to Maharashtra, where it runs joint venture with a Company.
This move also bears greater significance as Indian Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw not sure for a Third term from Odisha in Rajya Sabha, so he is taking advance chance to cement his position from any other State, mostly Maharashtra, where he was Election in charge for some time.
With B Prabhakaran reportedly planning to shift, the trio may keep a watch on Maharashtra politics and even could ensure entry of Vaishanaw to Rajya Sabha from there once his Odisha quota terms end by 2028-29, sources said. Indian Railways Minister known for his foresight while B Prabhakaran and Sajjan Jindal, known for money power.
B Prabhakaran has bagged the raising contract of Surajgarh Iron Ore Mines, the largest mines in Maharastra. Located in Wooria Hills of Maoists hit Gadchiroli district, Surajgarh promises a massive deposit of over 857 million tonnes of iron ore. Llyod Metals has lease over the mines till 2057 while Sajjan Jindal has promised Devendra Fernadavis led Government to invest 1 Lakh Crore in next few years.
Maharashtra based Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd, for raw material security and as a captive source of iron ore for the sponge iron plant, the Company had successfully been allotted a mining lease at Surjagarh Iron Ore Mine (Wooria Hills) over an area of 348.09 ha situated at Village-Surjagarh, Etapalli Taluka in the Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra. The Mining lease deed was executed on 3rd of May, 2007 for 20 years and the Government of Maharashtra has granted approval for a further extension of 30 years. Thriveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd had got Lasarda-Pacheri manganese blocks in Keonjhar in Odisha by pay 44.65 per cent premium to Naveen Patnaik led Government in 2017.
Sources said, B Prabhakaran may successfully influenced BJP central leadership but it would very difficult for him to establish a good contact with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who promised to take action against illegal mine owners and contractors including Thriveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd.
Recently, EOW of Crime Branch had arrested Raja Chakra, one of the key players of BJD in Keonjhar and considered close to B Prabhakaran. B Prabhakaran’s influence in mining transport business has drastically come down after BJP came to power in Odisha. B Prabhakaran and others were facing stiff competition from Mata Jaiswal and Rajesh Jaiswal of Jaiswal Transport, considered close to BJP establishments in Keonjhar.
Media reports said “ BJP suddenly take over the reign of the State, power equations too changed in Keonjhar. Obviously, the powerfuls in the mining business in Koenjhar are at loss. In the changed scenario, Prabhakaran is planning to venture into new pastures,”
