Who is better – Naveen or Pyari?

By IVT News Network
Bhubaneswar: Does Naveen Patnaik really rule the state? Or somebody guides him from behind? These questions often baffle the common citizens. Those who have access to the state secretariat or are members of the ruling Biju Janata Dal or its coalition BJP know how the state administration is running.
Few people have doubts that Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, a retired bureaucrat, is actually running the show.
Mr Mohapatra has a good track record of being an able administrator. During his long stint of career, he served in many districts, including the backward Koraput, as an administrator. He has also seen functioning of many seasoned politicians, including former chief ministers Biju Patnaik and Janaki Patnaik, from close circles. This veteran man, who in 2000 had denied having any interest in politics, subsequently crawled into the party politics. He first became a primary member of the BJD and finally got elected to Rajya Sabha, surprising many senior political claimants.
Pyari Mohan’s importance in the party is undoubtedly is unquestionable. Political observers say the Rajya Sabha member makes strategy for the party and the state government basing on the feedback he gets from the grounds; and taking into consideration the media reports and people’s emotion.
For Naveen, obtaining first hand feedback or for that matter second hand or even third hand information, - is sometimes a rare opportunity. He keeps himself away from the masses apparently for his own handicaps (inability to speak Oriya and ignorance of the state geography and culture). He is always fed information by his bureaucrat employees who solely bank upon some English dailies who have their own constraints and barriers to depict the true pictures of people’s plight.
Thus, the concept of governance remains a distant dream for the people of Orissa. In a striking contrast, Pyari Mohan understands – at least through party workers – what is happening where and what should be done to keep the herd united and retain people’s confidence.
Such facts often stir intellectuals who plead that a retired bureaucrat is certainly better than a man who does not understand the language of the land he rules. A few even opine that Naveen, who has good English accent, can play the role of Congress president Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the ruling coalition in Orissa, allowing Pyari to rule the state for his better understanding of the state, its geography and people. Naveen’s father Biju Patnaik always felt for Orissa and Oriyas. This small sacrifice (quitting the CM’s post) will go down in the history as selfless service. It will certainly never belittle him in people’s eyes.

(This news item is produced by IVT News Network)