Odisha Cabinet Expansion: How Susanta Singh Camp In BJD Will React After His Exclusion?

Bhubaneswar: After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inducted three new Ministers into his cabinet on Monday, questions are being raised in political circles over the exclusion of Susanta Singh, a BJD heavyweight from western Odisha, from the Ministry.

Observers are trying to ascertain whether Singh, a former Minister and an influential leader from Bargarh district in western Odisha, is unhappy over being denied a ministerial berth. Three BJD leaders were sworn in as cabinet Ministers this morning. From western Odisha, only Rourkela MLA Sarada Nayak has been inducted into the Ministry.

While Susanta Singh claimed that he is not unhappy over the Ministry expansion, his supporters appeared to be in a different mood. Singh said he has all along been getting support from the Chief Minister.

“I am not unhappy, some people somewhere may be unhappy,” said Singh, adding that some of his supporters came to him and he placated them. “CM’s blessings are always on us,” he added.

Following the assassination of Naba Kishore Das, who represented Jharsuguda, Susanta Singh was stated to be hopeful of getting a ministerial berth. However, the Bhatli MLA was unable to find a place in Naveen Ministry. Singh’s supporters claimed he seems to be unhappy over not getting a cabinet berth. He was reportedly not seen in the swearing in ceremony held today.

Sources said the Bhatli MLA’s supporters are highly disappointed over his exclusion from the Ministry. Bargarh district BJD youth wing president Pradyumna Tripathy reportedly said that people of western Odisha were hopeful that Singh will get ministerial berth.

However, their hope has been shattered as Singh was not given a place in the Ministry. Therefore, his supporters are disappointed and they find the whole episode highly frustrating, he said.

Describing Singh as a very good organiser, he said despite all his good work for the party, he has been neglected. After BJD’s landslide victory in Padampur Assembly by-election, people were expecting that he would be inducted into the Ministry. Earlier also he had been ignored during the Ministry reshuffle undertaken in June last year.

Though Singh claimed that he has placated his supporters, sources said resentment is brewing among people close to him in his area.  However, it is not clear whether they are thinking in terms of staging a revolt or resorting to any such drastic step.