By Kishore Dwibedi
BHUBANESWAR: Internationally renowned Neurosurgeon Dr Pratap Kumar Pani might be fielded as a contestant by ruling Biju Janata Dal in ensuing Election. A native of Bijigol Village in Anugul district Dr Pani is all set to enter into his maiden electoral fray as a MLA Candidate from Palalahara Constituency.
Widely known as a people’s physician, Dr Pani is very popular among the electorates in Dhenkanal and Angul districts through his regular free health camps and several charitable initiatives. A Former President of S.C.B Medical College Student’s Union, Founder Member of Odia Samaj, Bengaluru, General Secretary,Wellness of World Odisha Society and Trustee of Jagannath Temple in Bengaluru, Dr Pani has spent 28 years as a practising Doctor in Bengaluru since 1996.
Recently Dr Pani had officially joined B.J.D in a mammoth joining ceremony at Party’s headquarter Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. Now he is on an acquaintance tour to different nook and corner of Dhenkanal and Angul districts. The professional turned politician had received rousing receptions from the people in places like Kaniha, Palalahara, Angul, Parjang, Dhenkanal, Hindol and Kamakhyanagar. Since anti incumbency factor is playing heavily in most of the assembly seats, a fresher with high reputation, Dr Pani’s chance of getting elected seems to be much fair.
It is worth mentioned here that Dr Pani’s father Late Lamented Madhusudan Pani was a close aide of legendary Biju Patnaik. Since the prime strategist and General Secretary Organisation of BJD Pranab Prakash Das is the observer of the party for Dhenkanal and Angul Districts, the political observers expect that he will have an objective view over the winnability of candidates, while distributing tickets.
Now the internal survey is being conducted by the party to weigh the winning possibilities of prospective candidates. Initial information from party sources indicates that Shri Das has a soft corner for Dr Pani’s entrance into hustings. Pollsters predict that as a BJD candidate Dr Pani will win hands down from Palalahara MLA Seat in Coming Election.
While asked about his agenda for development of Angul and Dhenkanal districts, Dr Pani observed that Angul, inspite of being the highest revenue paying district of the State doesn’t have a medical college. The air pollution of Angul is worst than New Delhi. Irresponsible Industrialisation and rampant mining activities are posing serious threat to ecology, habitation and health conditions of general public in Angul and Dhenkanal districts, he added. Dr Pani further said that though basic infrastructure like land, water and communication accessibility through National Highway Number 55 are available still then Palalahara doesn’t have a Industry even after 75 years of Independence.
Agricultural Production has also been abysmally low in the area due to the lack of small and medium irrigation projects. Once becomes a People’s representative his highest priority will be to address all these crucial issues, Dr Pani informed. Dr Pani clarified that even if he joined Politics, his health services shall continue uninterrupted as before, because he strongly believes that, “Service to Humanity is Service to Almighty”.
Attributing Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana as one of the best health care scheme in the Country, Dr Pani underlined that once in public life he shall contribute his best to revolutionise the health sector in Odisha and provide the common masses of our Mother State the World Class Medical Facilities through BSKY. Dr Pani expressed his happiness over the miraculous transformation undertaken in his almamatar SCB Medical College under the active and able supervision of CM Naveen Patnaik and 5T Chairman V.K.Pandian.
