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Is it curtains for J.B. Patnaik?

By Prafulla Das

BHUBANESWAR AUG. 29. Is it the end of the road for the former Chief Minister, J.B. Patnaik, in Orissa politics? This question has assumed added significance following the recent utterances of Kamal Nath, general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee and in-charge of party affairs in Orissa.

Asked what would happen to the former Chief Minister, Mr. Nath, who came to the State to attend a meeting of the partymen elected to the panchayat bodies, quipped on Tuesday: "J.B. Patnaik was a thing of the past. The party's future lies in the present PCC chief, Sarat Patnaik.''

Undoubtedly, Mr. Nath's statement has sent tongues wagging and many have already begun to write the epitaph for J.B. Patnaik. But old faithfuls of the former Chief Minister insist that he would bounce back again. Hasn't he staged remarkable comebacks even in the past? they ask.

But for the records the prospects of a comeback seem bleak with every passing day. With the party leadership already in the hands of the younger generation, Mr. Patnaik is increasingly appearing to be out of sync with Orissa politics.

Mr. Patnaik, who was Chief Minister for 14 years, was made a permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee a few months ago, after he was replaced as PCC chief by Sarat Patnaik, former MP from Bolangir.

For Sarat Patnaik it has not been a smooth journey as PCC chief. The dissidents, considered to be loyal to the former Chief Minister, had become critical of the PCC chief since the party's defeat in two successive Assembly by-polls held in May and July this year.

But Mr. Nath's assertion that the party will fight the next general elections under the leadership of Sarat Patnaik has dealt a blow to the diminishing band of J.B. faithfuls. He has curtly told them to fall in line and accept the change.Whatever steps the PCC president has been taking to strengthen the party, a majority of the old generation leaders appear to be reluctant to accept him as the leader due to a generation gap.Since the high command has a lot of stake in Sarat Patnaik, it has announced its full fledged support and faith in him. Consequently, the balance is gradually tilting in favour of the incumbent PCC president, and partymen have begun to switch sides to the Sarat Patnaik camp.

The high command hopes that Sarat Patnaik would tighten his grip and would not turn out to be an embarrassement like Giridhar Gamang some two years ago. The leadership had egg on its face when the dissidents managed to have their way and Mr. Gamang had to be replaced as Chief Minister. The high command cannot easily afford a repeat of its public embarrassment. This explains the public show of support for Sarat Patnaik. It also signals the decline of a once powerful satrap like J.B. Patnaik. Perhaps the curtains are being rung down on a long and eventful political career, though not necessarily illustrious.

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