Results of the election in Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram have once again demonstrated the healthy
dynamics of India’s polity. While voters in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya
Pradesh and Mizoram have voted out the incumbent governments, voters of
Telangana reiterated their confidence on the incumbent government. Voters’ growing
disillusionment with the BJP which had surfaced in the last election to the
Gujarat legislature, showed more pronouncedly in the just concluded election to
the legislatures of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Results in
these three states demonstrated revival and rejuvenation of the Congress Party.
Election to Odisha
Assembly, barely six months away, would Odisha prefer the way of Telangana and
endorse the continuance of the incumbent government or go the way voters in the
other four states did? Would Congress Party in Odisha quickly set its house in
order, forge ahead as a strong political force and perform well? Would BJP in
Odisha be now more active to perform better both in the Assembly and Lok Sabha
elections in Odisha? These are some of the issues that have surfaced following
the just concluded elections in the five states.
We need to look at some
important political developments that have taken place after the last election
five years ago. BJP has, in the meantime, emerged as a cohesive, organised and
strong force and seems to be fine-tuning its strategy to offer itself as a
viable alternative to BJD. Out of those
important Biju loyalists who have been made to leave the BJD, while some have
accepted the ouster as a fait accompli, a few, notably Damodar Rout and
Baijayant Panda, have continued to be active in political life drawing positive
response from sections of the population. Two erstwhile BJP leaders, Dillip Ray
and Bijoy Mohapatra have left the party amidst growing speculations about their
imminent return to BJD. Odisha Congress, in the changed context, may perhaps stall
desertion of a few important leaders who reportedly have been planning to join
the BJD. The Party may perform well in areas which have been traditionally
Congress strongholds.
Odisha needs to take a pause at this stage and evaluate how
the uninterrupted rule of a regional Party for four terms has benefitted the
state and its people. Many people view that the successive resounding mandates
in favour of the regional Party has been, to a great extent, worked out through
selective politicisation of the cutting-edge level bureaucracy, liberal
application of freebies and a permissive mindset facilitating unjust enrichment
of those who either wield or are close to power. About 85 lakhs out of 96 lakh families in the
state avail of subsidised rice for which the Centre spends twenty-five to
thirty rupees per kilogram of rice but the BJD’s popularity soars. The fact
that about 85% of the state’s population is in need of subsidised rice points
to the widespread poverty of the state despite claims to rapid progress made
during the BJD rule. BJD government keeps reiterating its demand for a special
category status for the state, again confirming the state’s persisting
backwardness. Job opportunities in the organised sector continues to be scarce
and share of organised sector employment in public and private sector is
grossly skewed in the ratio of 85:15. There has been a decline in employment in
the organised sector from 7.95 lakh in 2013 to 5.03 lakh in 2015. Development
agenda of the BJD for Odisha in the two decades remains unclear. Some
decisions, including the charade over the Mahanadi, appeared impromptu. In
important sectors of development like school education, irrigation, cash-crop
farming, land reforms, textiles, small and cottage industries, the track record
over nearly two decades has been worrisome. Those youths who are poor in skill and
deficient in academic excellence, end up either unemployed or employed in
modest jobs in different states. The Government, many feel, is now afflicted
with fatigue and anti-incumbency sentiments. The state finds itself at the
crossroads.
Different political forces of the state, at this juncture,
need therefore to evolve an appropriate strategy to ensure meaningful
development of the state and its human resources. There is talk about formation
of a new Party comprising senior and experienced public men, many having long
experience in different Parties including the BJD. In the situation the state
is now in, forming a new Regional Party seems to be in the overall interest of
the state. In 2019 the new Party may not emerge as the largest Party but could
emerge as a strong force to play a decisive role in the process of formation of
a new government. It is time, stakeholders gave this possibility a quick and
serious thought.
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