ROURKELA: A relatively new entrant to the BJD, former MLA of RN Pali Halu Mundari has sprang a surprise by taking over as the party president of politically significant Rourkela organisational district.
After becoming the Labour and ESI Minister, Sarada Prasad Nayak had resigned from the post of president of BJD’s Rourkela unit in May this year. Many senior BJD leaders were eyeing the coveted post but 55-year-old Mundari came from nowhere to grab it.
BJD insiders believe Mundari’s loyalty to Nayak earned him the post. Besides, by allowing Mundari to head the Rourkela organisational district, the party killed two birds with one stone. Mundari was one of the aspirants for BJD ticket from tribal-dominated Birmitrapur Assembly constituency. Being the BJD president of Rourkela, he cannot apply for a ticket in election now.
As part of his new responsibilities, Mundari will lead the BJD’s organisational activities in Rourkela, RN Pali, Birmitrapur and Bonai Assembly segments under Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency.Sources said Mundari pipped many senior non-tribal BJD leaders including Ananda Charan Mohanty, Pradyumna Tripathy and Gagan Panda to become the Rourkela president.
Mundari said he has no ambition of contesting from Birmitrapur. “I am committed to abide by the direction of the party in all matters. My focus is to strengthen the BJD at the grassroots and ensure its victory in the constituencies under Rourkela organisational district in 2024 elections,” he said.
A senior BJD leader, who was also an aspirant for the post, said under the leadership of minister Nayak, the party is looking to win the tribal-dominated Assembly seats of Birmitrapur and Bonai. “The Rourkela seat is in unreserved category and the RN Pali segment is reserved for SC. Both these seats are traditional stronghold of BJD, while Birmitrapur and Bonai have never been won by the party. Hence, the choice of a tribal leader as BJD’s Rourkela unit president is a clever move,” he added.
While in Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Mundari was elected as zilla parishad (ZP) member in 1997 and 2002. In 2004, he became MLA from RN Pali seat on JMM ticket. After RN Pali was reserved for SC, Mundari fought the 2009 polls from Rajgangpur Assembly constituency but lost.He was suspended from JMM between 2015 and 2017. Mundari joined the BJD after the 2019 election. In February 2022, he won as ZP member from Bisra-A seat.