Rourkela: The BJD Sunday staged a ‘Lok Sampark Yatra’ led by Labour Minister Sarada Nayak from Bisra Chowk to Uditnagar here. Though the attendance went down in comparison to the previous year, its significance cannot be put aside as elections approach. Over a few thousand people participated in the rally and despite the complaints of mismanagement, the rally was regarded as a success. The rally holds importance for Rourkela because former BJP MLA candidate Nihar Ray organised a massive ‘Tiranga Rally’ August 15 which gathered a relatively bigger crowd.
In the last election, Ray had given a tough fight to BJD and the margin was very low, barely above ten thousand. A political observer said that the margin was definitely low for Sarada as everybody was expecting the margin would have been much higher. Furthering his argument, he said, “In India, headcount is certainly a big factor. But, he is a master player because he learned the game at the grassroots level and knows how to turn the table.” Both opponents and supporters of Sarada were waiting to see where his political fortune was moving.
First came his ministerial berth a few months back, even as many thought his chances were very slim. Then he shut the mouth of his detractors when his candidate Halu Mundari became the district president of BJD and Binay Toppo another of his associates was appointed as the chairman of the district board. Both the posts were being held by Sarada before his elevation as minister. Even some of his opponents agree to the point that despite the fall in number, he is still a face to reckon with. “We are in opposition to him still this number in no way goes against him. Unfortunately for the party, he is the leader here but he remains the force, which no one can deny,” one of them said. Meanwhile, Sarada said, “Look at the crowd and that gives you the idea the kind of support my party has here and in the district. Voters believe in our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the crowd is just a testimony to that because they came and participated despite the sun for him.”