Civic & Rural Polls In Odisha- Who Fights With Its Back To The Walls! Writings Are In The Open

By D N Singh

The euphoria over the advent of the new-year is going to be over in a week or so. Then comes the challenging times for all of us.

People on the ground must ready themselves to duck the menaces of the virus and continue to struggle for survival.

However, for the political parties in Odisha, it is going to be a bigger task to sail through the tides of the Panchayat and civic body polls.

Whatever, these elections are undoubtedly the determining yardsticks for the acceptability of the parties and their leaders.

In the last local polls the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress had failed by yards barring some places where the saffron bagging a few seats. Regarding the Congress, it was a result which does not call for a debate at all.

Much before than expected the Biju Janata Dal has started flexing its muscles. The war-room has become hot already and the leader of the party, Naveen Patnaik, who seems to have his ears to the ground always, has signaled about his battle-readiness through the numerous sorties to many districts.

At the same time the BJP has never been short of the belligerence required for a poll battle through its continuing tirade firing at the ruling dispensation.

Normally, a political party in power faces two major issues. One is, to address the problems those face its leaders and the second is the process of weakening the spirit of the opponents.

In both the fronts, the BJD appears to be in a comfort zone. While dissensions within the party are something that Naveen Patnaik has been able to smoothen them by his intimidating aura and civility.

Next, the proper placement of the leaders in the party who have in recent times jumped to the BJD from either the Congress or the BJP. Which would play a very important role in daring the enemy from making entry into the ruling burrows.

So far as the delivery is concerned, the chief minister, one can say that latter enjoys an unassailable acceptance barring few places where the administrative lapses result in some discontentment.

As regards, the BJP, it has little to beat its drum here in Odisha except riding on the crest of the popularity of the Central government’s good governance and welfare schemes by the Prime Minister.

It is purely the ’double engine’ slogan which helps the BJP and as the latter tries to have the cake and eat it too. So, the dividends may accrue to its voting account.

Criticisms and raising questions on accountability are basic ingredients of a democratic pattern and that way, BJP or the Congress are obliged to play the roles.

Keeping aside the BJP, regarding the Congress in Odisha, the politics within it, here, has become unbridled for quite many years and the party has to rediscover its rhythm let alone unity. But the local polls may not wait till the time for any make-over.

But the continuing fracas within it slowly dwindled the morals of the grassroots allowing both the BJD and the BJP to capitalise on the fractured vote banks.

The bigger challenge that has emerged before the grand old party, Congress, is to get the party arranged. After many of its leaders defected to the BJD, the challenges before the seniors now is to enhance the confidence of the workers at the ground level.

That way, the BJD has a ground to say that, it can well reclaim its grass-root credibility.

Both the opponents have the tailor-made campaign strategy to harp on the failures which is unavoidable in any implementation of schemes wherever. But, have they any thing new to knit dreams for the people.

Looking into the things within the two opponents one thing is common i.e both the units in the state lack a pronounced leader for the state. The Congress has a head who leads a unit that is bugged by inner-conflicts.

Whereas, in the BJP the case is bit different, like Union Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, undeniably played an untiring role to lift the party but there are others those who tacitly intend for their profile-pushing but, the BJP central leadership’s reticence still puzzles political observers.