By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: If media grapevines are to be believed, BJP National General Secretary Sunil Bansal has apprised Party’s National President JP Nadda about his reluctance to continue to remain as Party’s In Charge for Odisha. Bansal, according to media reports, has also sent his missive to Party President Nadda requesting to relive him from Odisha affairs.
The sudden move of Bansal , has been attributed to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw’s internal dealing with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik , his trusted lieutenant 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman , VK Pandian and also their key financer B Prabhakaran of Thriveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd to ensure their win from Dhenkanal and Balasore Lok Sabha seats respectively.
When Bansal planned to embarrass Naveen Patnaik Government, Union Ministers Pradhan and Vaishnaw reportedly distanced themselves from it and has been working oppose to it. Since Party’s top brasses are now resultant to send Pradhan to Rajya Sabha for third time, the Union Minister Education Minister is running from pillar to post to ensure his win in 2024 Lok Sabha polls while re-nomination to the Upper House looks also grim, Union Railways Minister is eying on Balasore Lok Sabha seat, sources said.
With Pradhan and Vaishanaw taking a soft stand, Party’s State President Manmohan Samal turned helpless and such a situation now, Party’s State In- Charge Bansal expressing his displeasure and wanted to step down from Odisha affairs.
Sources said, Union Minister Pradhan forced to strike a deal with BJD top brasses to ensure his win from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat in 2024 as he is all most sure Sambalpur and any other Lok Sabha seats, would be very difficult for him to pull votes in favour of him. Railways Minister, banking on his past record of District Collector, is also desperate to win Balasore Lok Sabha seat.
With Pradhan, the so called face of BJP , and Vaishnaw, Party’s Intellectual brain, keeping mum over the issue of VK Pandian’s sudden VRS and subsequent coronation as 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman, it speaks a lot of volume about it. Take a close look of Pradhan’s and Vaishanaw’s last 2 months Odisha visit, everything will be clear. Sources said , since Pradhan has made up his mind for Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat, now he is frequently traveling to Dhenkanal, Angul, Talcher, Palhara, Parjanga , Kaniha, Samal Barrage areas and others coming under the Lok Sabha seat and not uttering a single word on political lines against Naveen Patnaik. With Ashwini’s Rajya Sabha berth had blessings of Naveen Patnaik and VK Pandian, since he took over charge of Railways Ministry, till date he never said anything against the BJD supremo even though many Railways projects facing hurdles in Odisha due to lack of support from State Government.
Pradhan had raised about ‘Sashikala Syndrome’ in Odisha Politics earlier but when VK Pandian got a Cabinet Rank, the Union Minister kept mum, it shows, how he changed his stand to ensure his win from Dhenkanal Lok Sahha seat. Another Union Minister from Odisha, Ashwini Vaishanaw also taking a very soft stand on Naveen Patnaik. The former IAS officer is eying on Balasore Lok Sabha seat. Both Pradhan and Vaishanaw’s dubious role has forced Bansal to distance himself from Odisha affairs.
Bansal, has a tremendous track record of election and campaign management but when he did not get support from 2 senior Union Ministers , he felt humiliated and apprised it to Party’s National President, sources claimed. After BJP’s historic victories in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls, Bansal had given charge of Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal. While Bansal has been able to implement his plans and strategies in West Bengal and Telangana but in Odisha, he didn’t get much support from Party’s top brasses.
