Corruption was among the key issues raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2024 elections. Both central and state leaders of BJP continuously targeted the then BJD government with corruption allegations. After BJP came to power in the state, it claimed that important files would be opened to expose corruption done in the past. However, no such corruption could be exposed in the last one year, raising questions about the veracity of the allegations. No BJD heavyweight leader has come under the vigilance scanner, giving the impression that the allegations were more sound and less substance.
Mining Scam – When will action be taken?
While visiting his home district Keonjhar after assuming office, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi issued a strong warning against those involved in mining scam. He claimed that mining scam took birth during the previous BJD government and said the roots of this mega corruption will be found. Claiming that some non-Odias have looted the poor and tribals of mineral-rich Keonjhar. Majhi asserted that all those involved in the scam would be sent to jail. However, as the government completes a year, no major political leader has fallen into the dragnet so far. When BJD leader Raja Chakra was arrested in Gandhamardan Mine Loading Agency corruption case, there was talk that the government would expose the entire network. But nothing like that has happened thus far.
The V K Pandian Factor
BJP leaders had come down heavily on former 5-T chairman and one of the BJD’s power centres, V K Pandian, in the run up to the last elections. They targeted Pandian more than BJD president Naveen Patnaik. His helicopter tours were questioned. Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena had said that action would be taken in the matter after investigation. Like all political allegations these too have apparently become non-issues for the BJP dispensation in the state. Was the saffron party serious about the allegations? Or, were these politically motivated?
BJD heavyweights outside probe ambit
Some prominent BJD leaders against whom the BJP had levelled corruption allegations are outside the ambit of investigation. Be it the Kusuma bungalow built in Jajpur or the illegal construction in government quarters. Allegations were levelled against for Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby, but the issues seem to have been brushed under the carpet. There was a lot of brouhaha about Kusuma, but gradually everything fell silent. Similarly, there was an allegation that the Balle Balle Dhaba in Dharmashala was being run illegally. But no tangible action was taken. Similarly, a fresh investigation has been started in the much-talked about Naba Das murder case. The Crime Branch has also conducted a search, but nothing new has emerged, leaving many with raised eyebrows.
The BJP government has conducted a series of raids in the past year. The Chief Minister has said that corruption will not be tolerated in the case of a billionaire engineer caught in a vigilance raid. However, the BJP government has not yet been able to uncover any major corruption case it raised during the 2024 elections. Not a single top politician has been caught for corruption, nor has any action been taken against any senior officer. On the contrary, the officers about whose ecosystem BJP had complained have proceeded on central deputation. Some officers have even been promoted. Therefore, one wonders if the public will believe the BJP leaders’ anti-corruption slogans?
