Gopalpur: More than one and a half years are left for the general election, but Gopalpur assembly constituency in Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has been witnessing intense political activities for the last several weeks. Significantly, Gopabandhu Das, political secretary to the Chief Minister, is at the helm of the BJD’s organisational activities in Gopalpur. He has been leading Janasampark padyatra all across this assembly segment to broaden the party base well ahead of the elections.
On the other hand, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, who has been ousted from the BJD on charges of corruption, has thrown down the gauntlet to the BJD by running a parallel organisation. For the last several months, Panigrahy is trying his best to ensure his political survival and to strengthen his organisation by taking tours in different parts of the constituency. He is leaving no stone unturned to keep his flock of supporters together by undertaking various political activities. He is always surrounded by his army of supporters and seen lambasting the state government on various issues. The Gopalpur MLA seems to be adamant and combative to take on the organisation being nurtured by Gopabandhu Das. Gopabandhu Das took part in Jansampark padyatra held in Nuagolabandh, Hatipada, Nuakamalapur and Kamalapur recently. Many prominent BJD leaders like BeMC deputy mayor E Vivek Reddy, block chairperson CH Usharani, hundreds of zilla parishad members, sarpanchs and samiti members were part of the rally.
At a meeting of the party workers on the premises of Baleswar Temple at Golabandh, Gopabandhu said that the Chief Minister himself has taken the responsibility of the constituency. On the other hand, the Gopalpur MLA conducted parallel padyatra along with his supporters at Tulu, Hantulu, Redatulu and Indrakhi panchayats.
Training his gun at the state government, Panigrahy alleged that all developmental activities in the district have come to a cropper. “Airports are being set up in other districts, but there is no airport in Ganjam. The district is being deliberately neglected on the development front,” he fumed. He also observed that bureaucracy is given an upper hand in running the government only to kill democracy. BJD workers are sidelining Pranigrahy and opposing his programme. An elderly man was allegedly attacked by a former sarpanch for inviting the MLA to his house at Indrakhi village in Golanthara area during his tour.
