New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha cadre IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi Tuesday opened up about her ambition of contesting elections after joining the BJP here.
Sarangi was inducted into the party in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha BJP chief Basant Panda at the residence of Amit Shah here.
When asked whether she would contest election from Bhubaneswar, Sarangi said, “Party’s decision is final. I know very well that contesting an election is a big challenge, but I must tell you I love to take up challenges.”
Calling her decision to join BJP as a well considered one, Sarangi said, “I have consulted many people. I have read a few books, in fact I have read three books. I contacted so many people and discussed with them and only then have I taken this decision to join the BJP. When you join a party you look at two things — the ideology, whether it matches yours and second, who leads the party. So if I compare the BJP and BJD you can see the difference.”
Asked why she didn’t consider joining the BJD as she had worked with the BJD government in the state, Sarangi said, “There is no comparison between BJD and BJP in the working style. I’m vastly influenced by the way Prime Minister works. He is so hard working, so inspiring and he has so much of determination and he is transparent in his way of working, in his ideologies.”
She said that development happens everywhere, but it has to be seen whether it is speedy or not. “I think the BJP government has given speed to development in all the states they have been working in,” she said.
Sarangi praised the Centre for its sustainable development approach.
The 1994-batch IAS officer was serving as the joint secretary of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) under the ministry of rural development. She had applied for voluntary retirement this year in September. Her application for VRS was approved by Prime Minister November 16. During her stint in Odisha, she served as the secretary of school & mass education and commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. Sarangi is scheduled to return to Odisha Wednesday and will be welcomed by the BJP leaders of the state unit.
Reacting to the joining of Sarangi, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said her induction will not have any impact on the political scenario of Odisha.
“This is not the first time that a bureaucrat has joined any political party. I don’t know why the matter is getting so much importance. Her induction to the BJP won’t have any effect on state politics,” said Mishra.
BJD leader Pratap Deb said, if she (Sarangi) likes the ideology of that party, it’s her own perception. Only after knowing on what she wants to do for Odisha, we can then comment on it.
PNN