Odisha: ‘Double Engine’ Toes Line of Central Masters; Key Sectors Lie Derailed?

Where does the ‘double engine’ government in Odisha stand, when seen in the light of the confusion created around the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic alliance (NDA) at the Centre? It appears though it is hanging by a petard made from a sense of insecurity.

As deemed by the political critics in Odisha, the Mohan Charan Majhi-led dispensation has turned to be a poster or propaganda- based system that is only visible on the road sides.

What is funny, and peculiar, is that the entire capital city Bhubaneswar is laced with posters with pictures of only Chief Minister Majhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at most available junctions, crossings. It can be said that the duo has virtually replaced signages meant for commuters. Be it the road to the airport or railway station or any marg (road), one finds posters of the Modi-Mohan duo.

“Such set of symptoms manifest when someone suffers from dearth of real delivery, evidenced by deeds. It is simply a cover- fire”, said Ritik Pramanik, a political commentator.

Interestingly, the other thing that is playing itself up is the ‘colour complex’, painting all official buildings saffron. Even government- run auditoriums now wear the saffron colour.

In Odisha, there are other prominent faces in the BJP government, such as the deputy chief ministers, cabinet ministers and ministers of state, who never find their pictures on any event or on special occasions. They may be sulking but never speak out for obvious reasons.

 The BJP ministry has people like the Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, a former MP, Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, a seven-time MLA and former cabinet minister, or even BJP state president Manmohan Samal and many others, who are failing to hog the ‘double engine’ limelight in any way.

“It may be worth recalling here that a similar kind of complexity at the party’s central level has led to a situation when many disgruntled MPs today are like fence-sitters, completely eclipsed by two leaders – PM Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah. This was evident during the pre-poll phase for the Vice President election,” said Pramanik.

On the performance front, the achievements by the Majhi government paint a dismal picture. The innumerable posters dotting the length and width of Odisha’s cities have not been able to hide the dark underbelly of the ‘double engine’ government.

Take any issue related to health, education, inflation and unemployment. There is little done on the ground by the state apparatus.  

“Claiming himself as the Chief Minister of the people, Majhi, perhaps, has made himself hostage of photo-ops and occasional press briefings for selective media houses. That is the best way for self-assuaging that everything is alright. The CM does not remain among the masses and instead the posters with Modi appear to be his best outreach,” Rabi Das, another political analyst, told this writer.

Going a step forward, political commentator Kameswar Rao questioned: “How many reporters from the capital and other cities travel for a reality check of the claims about implementation welfare schemes on the ground by the Chief Minister? Why does he not allow the ministers concerned to be part of such media briefings?” 

Crime against women in recent times has reached an alarming state with reports about seven rape incidents at all-time high.

In recent times, so many incidents of burning of girls and women signal a very dismal phase of women’s security in the state.

The Chief Minister, who claims to be one among the common masses, has never been seen coming out of his official hibernation.

Meanwhile, the price tags of all essential commodities keep scaring the people.

“Inflation in Odisha has crossed 7%, which is higher than the national average of about 6%, giving the traders a monopoly that is unbridled”, rued Pramanik.

Problem of Plenty    

Nature has blessed Odisha with an immense reserve of minerals, such as iron ore, chromite, manganese, bauxite, nickel etc. The state has the second largest deposit of chromites in the Asian sub-continent.

But where do the people of the state stand? Under a reverse pyramid structure of the economy. Where do the proceeds from the mines and minerals go?

Years ago, this writer had the opportunity to interact with noted economist Prabhat Patnaik at his ancestral home in Bhubaneswar. He had then described the reasons behind the disparity in a common man’s language.

Prof Patnaik had said the majority of the mine operators were from outside the state. They fly in like birds, suck the nectar and fly back along with the economy generated and the common men are left to see them fly back only, he explained.

Ironically, the present dispensation is headed by Majhi, who also hails from Keonjhar district, which is rated as the largest hub of minerals like iron ores and manganese and, of course, bauxite deposits.

Majhi not only frequents his home district but has started to change the road map for mining management by replacing the erstwhile operators by new ones from outside the state.

“Former Revenue Minister of Odisha, Prafulla Ghadai of the BJD (Biju Janata Dal) and Jaidev Jena, former Congress minister and state party president, were on record saying that the incumbent Chief Minister has dragged in one non-state mining operator called Rajesh Jaiswal to replace the former king of mines’ operation, Prabhakaran. This sudden change was effected not for nothing” observed Pramanik.

It is alleged that Rajesh Jaiswal and Mata Jaiswal have taken over the entire transport system of Odisha Mining Corporation-run mines after Majhi came to power in June 2024. Several local BJD leaders also allegedly engaged their trucks in OMC-run mines and have constructed hotels in Ranchi in Jharkhand, a report said, citing sources.

So, this is being seen as a collective alliance of many, regardless of the party in power. Keonjahar and Jajpur districts have remained like honeycombs for miners mostly from outside the state. They raze the minerals that are transported by trucks engaged by local transporters, and for other jobs they engage local mining labourers who labour for a pittance. So, there is hardly any dividend sieving down to the state's economy and things remain where they were, say critics.

Shifting Focus

“After the BJP formed the government in Odisha, Majhi has given the task of mineral razing to Rajesh Jaiswal and Mata Jaiswal not for nothing. Although the state-run OMC is mining, leaders from all parties have engaged their trucks for transportation to ports like Paradip and Gopalpur, including some BJD leaders”, alleged Das.

Before coming to power in Odisha, the BJP had made a lot of noise over alleged scams in the award of mining leases to contractors, but after BJP took over, the dispensation has not been able to take action against any miner except one Raja Chakra, who was operating in Keonjhar and has his roots in the BJD and is now in the jail.                     

“After that, nothing has happened, as regards the alleged mining scams, which implies a mutually agreed functional disorder that was there and still continues”, said Pranay Kumar, a local journalist from Keonjhar.

“Why not instil a stimulus to OMC, which has so far done a good job in razing of ores, and do away with non-state mining contractors as much as possible to halt the siphoning of proceeds”? he added.

As it appears, there is perhaps a rat race for handing down everything to the private sector, be it the mining sector, health, education or transport.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Odisha, with over 40 years’ experience in the profession. The views are personal.