ANGUL: Rumours have started to fly about Rajani Kant Singh’s future course of action after the Angul MLA resigned from his deputy speaker post on Wednesday. The four-time MLA was a dominant force in Angul BJD since 2004 but had to stay away from party affairs after he became the deputy speaker of the Odisha Assembly in 2019.
It is being speculated that Singh tendered his resignation to return to active politics as some MLA aspirants have entered the race for BJD ticket to contest the Assembly elections from Angul seat. Prominent among the aspirants are Mahesh Dhal, Akshya Samant and Sakti Prasad Patnaik.
Besides, there is a buzz over Singh being given the responsibility of strengthening the BJD organisation in Angul amid reports of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan contesting from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituency. Dhenkanal parliamentary constituency comprises both Dhenkanal and Angul districts.
Singh entered politics after the death of his father Adwait Singh, a former minister, in 2003. The senior Singh was an undisputed non-Congress leader in undivided Dhenkanal district. After inheriting his father’s political legacy, Singh also became a dominant figure in BJD in both Angul and Dhenkanal districts.
The local BJD unit welcomed Singh’s decision to resign from the deputy speaker’s post. BJD’s Angul unit president Mahendra Bastia said, “We are happy our leader has resigned to enter active politics. His absence had created a vacuum in the district. Angul requires his leadership as the election is only some months away.”
District BJP president Dileswar Pradhan said it was an internal affair of BJD. Singh’s resignation and his entry into active politics will in no way impact the increasing popularity of BJP in the district. Similarly, Congress president of Angul Sangram Mishra said there is a strong undercurrent in favour of Congress in the district. Singh’s return to politics will have no impact on the party’s performance in the next Assembly polls.