Challenges Ahead For BJP Govt In Odisha After 100 Days …

Bhubaneswar: As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) completed 100 days after coming to power in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday asserted that his government has fulfilled promises made in the party’s election manifesto. While prompt steps were taken to open all four doors of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, the ambitious Subhadra Yojana for the empowerment of women has also been launched. MSP for paddy has also been hiked to Rs 3100 per quintal. While many other milestones have also been achieved in 100 days, the BJP government will have to encounter several challenges in days to come. While the government has gone on backfoot over certain issues, it may face challenges in implementing several schemes.

Odia Asmita – A Double-Edged Sword

BJP stormed into power in the state after making Odia Asmita its main poll plank. The issue of Odia Asmita or pride apparently appealed to the emotions of the people, who voted BJP to power. However, after coming to power Odia Asmita appeared to have been confined to announcements. Though the state cabinet has approved proposals to set up an academy for the spread and promotion of Odia language and literature and construct Asmita Bhavan, no concrete step has so far been taken in this direction. On the other hand, the BJP government appears to be on the backfoot on the issue of renaming Ravenshaw University and slip of Lord Balabhadra’s idol during Adapa Mandapa Bije ritual in Puri. The issue may boomerang if the BJP government fails to handle the Asmita issue properly.

Financial Burden

By raising the MSP for paddy to Rs 3100 per quintal and launching Subhadra Yojana for women, the BJP government has fulfilled the promises made before the elections. The first instalment money under Subhadra Yojana has also been transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries after the scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17. All these are bound to put enormous financial burden on the state government. While some schemes introduced earlier by the previous regime have been renamed, implementing Central programmes will also be challenging as it may diminish state government’s importance. In a nutshell, it will become a gigantic task for the Mohan Majhi government to mobilise funds to implement so many schemes to fulfill poll promises.

Teamwork Tension

Several instances of lack of coordination in the BJP government have come to the fore in the last three months. The Mohan Majhi government had to face major embarrassment over the statements made by some Ministers on different issues. While Social Security Minister Nityananda Gand spoke of a ban on liquor, Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra was criticized for announcing removal of red light from traffic posts. Excise Minister went on to speak on students’ union elections in colleges. The image of the government may be tarnished if it fails to put a halt to such careless statements and operates with proper teamwork.

Old Issues, New Challenges

When in opposition, BJP used to target Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over issues relating to Polavaram project and Mahanadi River water dispute. However, BJP is now in power both at the Centre and in the state and some step has to be taken in order to resolve these contentious issues. It cannot blame anyone over these issues after coming to power in the state. Similarly, the issue of establishment of a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court will also put the BJP government in a tight spot. Several other contentious issues like special category status will have to be handled carefully. If BJP fails to deal with these issues in an appropriate way, the double-engine government may just boomerang.