Congress leaders swallow bitter pill

Tathya.in, May 28, 2009
New Delhi:28/May/2009

13 years ago he outsmarted Biju Patnaik.

He became Union Minister in the H D Devegowda Cabinet in 1996.

So the legendary leader of Orissa failed to make it to the Union Cabinet.

However fate played cruel joke on him after long 13 years and Srikant Jena took over as a mere Minister of State (MOS).

While the newly elected MP from Balasore Lok Sabha was waiting for the telephone call from Man Mohan Singh, his camp was highly optimistic.

All of them were sure that Jena will get a Cabinet berth.

But his hopes were shattered as Jena was informed that he will take over as MOS, not a MOS ( Independent).

Sources said immediately he rushed to Ahmed Patel and what transpired between them is not known to public.

However Jena as the most disciplined Congress man took oath of Office and Secrecy administered by President Pratibha Patil.

Now ask anybody in Orissa, they feel that Congress leadership has once again humiliated Orissa.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi did not find Orissa deserving enough to make anyone from the state as cabinet minister.

This has sent a strongly negative message to the state where the Congress Party in a surprise of surprises got 6 seats in the parliamentary elections.

Out of the 6 elected MPs, Hemananda Biswal, a former Chief Minister and several times a Cabinet Minister in Orissa was expecting for a berth in the Union Ministry.

Biswal, a tribal leader has humiliated 3-time MP and former Union Minister Jual Oram from Sundargarh.

Similarly, Bhakta Charan Das, who not only won from the most backward and poverty stricken Kalahandi, but also defeated 3-time MP of BJP, Bikram Kesari Deo with a thumping margin.

Bhakta also was instrumental in bringing confidence among the Congress candidates fighting in the Assembly polls, for which the Grand Old Party could snatch 4 seats out of 5.

While Congress was shinning under Bhakta’s able leadership in Kalahandi, AICC High Command ignored him.

Amar Pradhan, MP from Sambalpur made the former Youth Congress President Rohit Pujari bite dust.

When Rohit left Congress party in a huff, Rahul Gandhi personally called Amar and asked him to file for Sambalpur as MP candidate.

And with the backing of the AICC General Secretary, Amar won the polls.

So every body in the party hierarchy expected that Amar will be given a MOS seat.

But he also found no luck, thanks to the as usual neglecting attitude of the Congress High Command towards Orissa.

Now the BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik found ample ground to scoff at the Congress led UPA leadership, who has the habit of neglecting Orissa on various fronts.

And sources said BJD leaders are making jibes at the leaders of the GOP and these hapless netas are swallowing the bitter pill.