BJD abuzz with ministry reshuffle

As the political grapevine is agog with speculation over the much-awaited ministry reshuffle, BJD leaders are busy guessing how and when the anticipated event will take place.

Some senior BJD leaders, who have so far failed to read the mind of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard, maintain that the reshuffle is overdue and will be effected in the first week of August. Another faction maintains that the reshuffle will be delayed.

Speculation is also rife over how the reshuffle will be effected. One possible manner is that the Chief Minister will ask all his ministers to resign a day before the reshuffle and a new team will be sworn in. Some of the members of the present ministry will be re-inducted and freshers brought in.

Another faction maintained that the statement, given by dissident Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra on Saturday, has complicated the situation further. They said several ministers, who had some association with Pyari in earlier days, will have to face the axe.

This has created confusion among the ministers. Pyari’s statement that the Chief Minister has started a ‘Pyari hunt’ has created an atmosphere of confrontation in the party. A section of BJD leaders said the Chief Minister had asked them not to give any importance to Pyari’s statement.

Sources maintained that a bureaucratic reshuffle on Sunday hinted that Naveen has already made up his mind for the ministerial changes and this will be effected soon.

The Chief Minister has systematically targeted Pyari loyalists holding posts in the Government in recent days. Three chiefs of the State-owned public sector undertakings and a member of the Planning Board were removed before the Presidential election as a warning to Pyari’s followers to desist from cross-voting. Besides, 24 chiefs of cooperative bodies were removed at one go recently taking the plea of a Supreme Court directive.

Naveen had dismissed three ministers for their alleged role in the May 29 failed attempt to dislodge him. BJD leaders now anticipate more dismissals in the Government as well as in the party in days to come.