By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Call it Making Mockery of Chief Minister’s Post or Ugly Face of Democracy in Odisha. Some says, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi set an unprecedented tradition by visiting Opposition Leader Naveen Patnaik at his Residence and inviting him for an All Party meeting a day before the start of State Assembly session, while some others argued that it sets a very bad precedence. They said, BJP fought on issues like Odia Asmita and while Naveen Patnaik caused extensive damaged to Odia Asmita now both showing they are good friends.
As per tradition and constitutional practices, generally Speaker conveys an all-party meeting just a day before the start of the Assembly or Parliamentary session. There was not a single such instances, where a sitting CM and Deputy CM visiting an Opposition Leader’s residence to invite him for an all-party meeting. There was no justification behind such unnecessary and unwarranted invitation to an Opposition leader.
Interestingly, when CM Majhi and his Deputy Singh Deo were meeting Patnaik , at the same time, BJD at an all-party meeting held at New Delhi, demanded special category status for Odisha ahead of the budget session of Parliament . Among other demands, BJD also raised the issue about Governor Raghubar Das’s son assaulting a Raj Bhavan staffer ASO and the police inaction over the issue.
Soon after CM Majhi along with Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo met, Opposition Leader Patnaik at Naveen Niwas, some photos were sent to some selected journalists from Patnaik’s residence to share in social media putting BJD Boss in a commanding position and showing CM Majhi and his deputy Singh Deo, in a low light.
As per the instructions from Naveen Niwas and fugitive spin-doctors , photos were selectively circulated in social media, so that people feel, Naveen Patnaik still has his political weight even despite voted him out of power after 24 years of rule.
While commenting on such a photo shared by a senior scribe, Journalist turned BJD MLA from Bhogarai in Balasore Goutambudhha Das wrote “ଉପାୟ ନାହିଁ। ନବୀନ ବାବୁଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଥିବା ପ୍ରବଳ ଜନ ସହାନୁଭୂତି କ୍ରମଶଃ ଅଧିକରୁ ଅଧିକ ହେବାରେ ଲାଗିଛି। ତେଣୁ ଏବର ସରକାର ଭିତରେ ଭିତରେ ଏତେ ଛାନିଆ ଅଛନ୍ତି ଯେ ନବୀନବାବୁଙ୍କ ପଛ ଛାଡ଼ୁ ନାହାନ୍ତି।“ .
One can imagine from the post of BJD MLA Goutambuddha Das. Replying to the same photo, RTI activist, Pradip Pradhan asked “ କଂଗ୍ରେସ୍ କୁ ଡାକିବାକୁ ଯାଇଥିଲେ କି ନାହି” ? .
Some social media influencers and political experts were seen it as mixed of many issues creating such political atmosphere. Some says, in the backdrop of Naveen Patnaik’s shadow cabinet and BJP’s minority in Rajya Sabha , State BJP leadership now not want to make the BJD boss angry. For which such bonhomie just going on only except few actions on some elected officers including IAS and IPS.
But others viewing it as a very good tradition on part of a Chief Minister to invite Opposition Leader Patnaik for an all-party meeting. If this was the case, CM Majhi and his Deputy Singh Deo should have reach out to Congress , which has 14 MLAs in the House and third largest Party in Odisha Assembly after BJP and BJD.
An Elected CM inviting a rejected Leader to an All Party Meeting, how become a good tradition . isn’t it’s purely unconstitutional and uncalled for on part of CM to beg before an Opposition Leader who just rejected by the people of Odisha for underestimating Odia sentiments.
A sitting CM Minister meeting an Opposition Leader a day before Assembly Session at later Residence is perhaps first such instances in Indian Politics. Parliamentary Affairs Minister is there for this . Is it a good sign or complete surrender of BJP Government before Naveen Patnaik.
