BHUBANESWAR: As the BJP intensifies its agitation demanding the ouster of Law Minister Pratap Jena over the Mahanga double murder case, trouble seems to be mounting for the five-time MLA who has never lost an election ever since making debut in 2000.With talks of a ministerial reshuffle doing the rounds, speculation is rife that Jena’s continuance in the Ministry may become difficult as he has been named in the FIR relating to the murder of BJP leader Kulamani Baral and his associate.
In the past too, some ministers of the Naveen Patnaik Cabinet had to quit as the Opposition pointed fingers at them for allegedly protecting the accused persons.As the urban body polls are likely to be held in the first half of 2021 followed by panchayat polls next year, sources said that the BJD leadership is unlikely to give the Opposition, particularly the BJP, an issue to embarrass the government and ruling party.
Sources said that the process of sidelining of Jena in the party has already started. In this context, the reported decision of Sobhan Kar, son of veteran politician late Sarat Kar, to join politics is significant. Though there is no official word from the ruling party, Kar is likely to join BJD. The late Sarat Kar was elected thrice from the Mahanga Assembly constituency from 1971 to 2000. He was also the Speaker of the Assembly and elected as a Lok Sabha MP from the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency in 1977. If Sobhan Kar joins BJD, his area of activity will be Mahanga Assembly constituency.
The position of Agriculture and Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo has also become shaky following the BJP’s agitation demanding his resignation over the Nayagarh minor girl murder incident. Sources said that the performance of several other ministers is also under scanner. The main criteria will be how they performed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sources maintained that as the budget session of the Assembly is likely in February, the ministerial reshuffle will be completed before that. As there is now a new team of bureaucrats, a new team of ministers is also likely to take charge this month.