Bhubaneswar: Union tribal affairs minister and BJP leader from the state Jual Oram Sunday made a prophetic assertion that a political “Nabakalebara” in the form of a change of guard would happen in the state in the 2019 Assembly elections.
Oram’s remarks, conceded a BJP insider, is in tune with the party’s unofficial line to drive home a political message with religious overtones to the people of Orissa before elections.
“Political Nabakalebara will certainly take place in the state as people of Orissa have begun to consider giving a chance to the BJP during the next Assembly elections,’’ Oram said.
By saying so the union minister likened the change in the wooden deities at Jagannath temple, popularly known as Nabakalebara, to a prospective political change in the 2019 elections in Orissa, hinting that the BJP could come to power in the state by dislodging the BJD government.
Asked about this a state BJP leader said: “Our party’s national emphasis on saving the cow is because we attach importance to the Hindu sentiment around it. Orissa is known for the revered Jagannath mandir. So, if we compare the change in wooden deities in the temple (Nabakalebara) after some specified number of years to a possible change of political guard in the state, what’s wrong with that?”
“People who have respect for religious sentiments will be able to understand our message clearly,’’ the leader added.
On the other hand, Oram Sunday created quite a flutter in political circles by saying that the “Nabakalebara” could begin from his Sundargarh constituency as Pradhan, currently being projected as the BJP’s “poster boy’’, is speculated to be fielded from Puri.
This has created rumours as to who among Oram and Pradhan could bag the top job in the event of the BJP coming to power in 2019 in the state.
However, hitting back at the union minister and the saffron camp, BJD MP and party spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said, “The BJP leaders are inflated with political ego. They are dreaming of coming to power. That is why they are making such political comments by dragging in a religious issue like Nabakalebara.”
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