Odisha Deputy Speaker resignation for poll prep fuels BJD’s checkmate Pradhan buzz

Singh’s resignation move to return to BJD politics in Angul assumes significance amid reports that Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Dharmendra Pradhan, a native of Angul district, may contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls either from Dhenkanal or Sambalpur.

Known as an industrial and coal mining hub, Angul district has five Assembly seats. While its Angul, Talcher, Chhendipada and Pallahara segments are part of the Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituency, Athamallik falls under the Sambalpur parliamentary seat.

“Since Deputy Speaker is a constitutional post, it did not allow me to engage in political activities. It was not a sudden decision as I had been contemplating to resign from the post for the past few months. As elections are around, I have resigned to devote more times to organisation and to reach out to people wholeheartedly,” Singh told reporters.

Singh, who has been winning the Angul seat continuously since 2004, was elected as the Deputy Speaker in 2019.

A loyalist of Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, Singh served as the steel and mines minister from August 2012 to May 2014.

The BJD leadership is likely to assign Singh a significant organisational role in Angul, said party sources. “It’s up to the party chief to decide,” said Singh on speculation in this regard.

Singh had earlier served as the BJD’s Angul district president for several years and is known for having his supporters in every constituency there. His father late Adwait Prasad Singh was also a popular leader and four-time MLA from Angul.

“Dharmendra Pradhan’s frequent visits to Dhenkanal and Angul in recent months have helped the BJP to consolidate its base in the region. The saffron party may also gain if Pradhan chooses to contest from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat. The BJD needs a senior leader to prepare a counter strategy in the district,” said a senior BJD leader.

Holding that although Singh cannot match Pradhan’s political heft, the BJD leader said the party needs a senior leader to put its house in order in Angul ahead of the 2024 polls.

“When Rajani Kant Singh was steering the party organisation in Angul, he managed to take everyone along. Now, the party has been witnessing factionalism in almost every Assembly constituency in the district. These things need to be addressed for which Singh is a good choice. He has his people in all five constituencies in Angul,” said the BJD leader.

Anticipating Pradhan’s bid to contest the Lok Sabha election, the BJD had in March this year roped in party organisational secretary and Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby, as the observer for the districts of Dhenkanal, Angul and Sambalpur along with Keonjhar.

Pradhan, who is considered as the Odisha BJP’s face, has expressed his keenness to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the state.

In May this year, Bikram Keshari Arukha, a six-time MLA from Bhanjanagar, had stepped down from the Speaker’s post and was inducted as the finance minister in the Panaik Cabinet. He has since been involved in organisational work in several constituencies in the crucial Ganjam district.