Bhaskar Parichha
Cabinet formation is usually a complex exercise all over, given the wild aspirations of the newly elected legislators. But for Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, picking up his ministerial team is easier done than said. Reasons are not far to seek: One, the CM doesn’t have to ensure that he chooses a team with experience, capability and talent. Two, he doesn’t have to make a hard political choice while selecting ministers and, finally, there is no pressure from allies because the BJD, like a closed entity, is a hugely protected political party.
Despite hectic lobbying, the twenty members of Naveen’s new cabinet – which took oath on Wednesday – have been carefully chosen and is a solid mix of the old guard and a new look. The new cabinet has however no representation from thirteen of the thirty districts.
Women
One surprise inclusion in the new cabinet is Tukuni Sahu — the two-time legislator from Titlagarh .She is the only woman cabinet minister. Naveen has of course picked up another woman from Kotpad – Padmini Dian – as Minister of State. Two women ministers from two backward districts make some sense.
The older ministers whom Naveen included in his new team – Prafulla Mallick,Bikram Kesari Arukh,Niranjan Pujari,Pratap Jena and Arun Sahu – may have been measured for their loyalty to the leader rather than efficiency. But some of them have good organizational capability e.g. Jena and Sahu. Mallick,Pujari and Arukh,on the other hand, have been down-to-earth and simple.
Ganjam
Naveen has not been nice to the legislators of his home district this time round.Ganjam used to have three to four ministers at the least .The only consolation is that Surya Narayan Patro has been picked up for speakership.Likewise, Jajpur has got the party Chief Whip post – Pramila Mallick -but no minister.
One significant omission in the cabinet is the volatile Kendrapada district. Seems, the remaining ministerial berth has been left for a big shot from this district until by-polls for Patkura assembly constituency are over. Surprisingly, Sonepur and Puri have got two ministers each. In the same vein, Bolangir, Jagatsinghpur and Bargarh Lok Sabha seats have been lucky to get two ministers.
Turncoats
In the days leading up to the elections, the political churn saw many switching sides. Among those who left the Congress and joined the BJD was Naba Kishore Das.He has been made a cabinet minister. The other turncoats who have been rewarded with ministership are Raghunandan Das and Tusarkanti Behera.While Das defeated the vociferous Damodar Rout in Balikuda- Erasama,Behera had spurned a ticket from BJP and joined the ruling party just before nomination was closed.Incidentally,Tusharkanti Behera is the second minister from Puri district – the other being Sameer Ranjan Das.
Now the big question is how far these ministers will be able to perform to their ability.Bureaucratic-dependence being the hallmark of the Naveen government over the past four terms, ministers here are considered only pawns and not redeemers.
Professionalism
From first time MLA to becoming minister right away is a rare chance. Padmini Dian and Jaganntah Saraka(Bisamcuttack) belong to this category. Not that Naveen’s choice of ministers was devoid of any specific criterion. Professionalism and talent have suitably been rewarded. While Tusharkanti Behera is a chemical engineer and a M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur, Technical education minister Premanada Nayak(Telkoi) too is a B Tech in mechanical engineering. Similarly,Industry Minister Capt. Dibyshankar Mishra is a commercial pilot.
Interestingly, firebrand leader and seven-time Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain has been made a cabinet minister (food, civil supplies and co-operation) this time having missed the bus several times over in the past.
Drop Down
Naveen has been ruthless in dropping several members of his earlier ministry while choosing the new team. Sashi Bhusan Behera, Prafulla Samal, Badri Narayan Patra, Usha Devi, Anant Das, Snehangini Chhuria, Chandra Sarathi Behera and Nrusingha Charan Sahu have not been reappointed as ministers. Speaker of the outgoing assembly Pradip Kumar Amat also did not figure in the new council of ministers.
Discontentment
Dissensions and frustrations are nothing new among those who are made ministers and the departments they have been allotted. Two of the newly- appointed ministers – Sameer Ranjan Das and Ashok Chandra Panda – seem to be a disappointed lot. Das is three times MLA and yet he got a State Minister post. Ditto in case of Panda who had to satisfy himself with a MoS once more, although with independent charge.
Portfolio
As for distribution of portfolios among ministers, there is some funny elements. Prafulla Mallick got the same departments he was holding earlier. Likewise , Bikram Arukh who got the same Forest, Environment and Parliamentary Affairs.The most controversial department in Odisha – Health and Family Welfare – will now be looked after by Naba Kishore Das.In the same way,Tourism,Odia Language,Literature and Culture department has been given to a greenhorn. The choice of Sudam Marandi for Revenue and Disaster Management is however unimpressive.This department should have gone to a member from a coastal district in view of the complexities involved in disaster mitigation.
Now the big question is how far these ministers will be able to perform to their ability.Bureaucratic-dependence being the hallmark of the Naveen government over the past four terms, ministers here are considered only pawns and not redeemers.