Naveen escapes ‘coup’ bid.

Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJD on Wednesday escaped a vertical split as the “dissidents” led by party Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra shelved their plan to stage a “possible coup” for the time being.

Sources said the dissidents, who on Tuesday had gathered at two separate places — at the Sahid Nagar residence of Pyarimohan Mohapatra and in star hotel to finalise the split process — desisted from their bid as they failed to garner the required number. The BJD has 104 legislators in the 147-member state Assembly.

Sources said of the 33 MLAs and three ministers who on Tuesday evening pledged support to Mr Mohapatra changed their allegiance to the party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Some of the Pyari-loyalits MLAs showed off at Naveen Niwas, the chief minister’s residence this morning, to escape disciplinary action.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, meanwhile, cut-short his nine-day trip to foreign countries and is returning to Bhubaneswar to handle the crisis.

In another development, Mr Mohapatra, while addressing a press conference here, said he had not plan to split the party. He, however, admitted that the party chief had come under the “evil” influence of the some conspirators.

“The party chief has come under the evil influence of the some conspirators who want to finish the party. I just wanted to tell these conspirators they cannot kill the party for their vested interests,” he said.

Denying any threat perception from his side to the chief minister, Mr Mohapatra clarified that the Tuesday meeting of legislators at his residence should not be construed as a revolt against the party leadership.

“I don’t have any plan to dislodge Naveen Patnaik. The legislators do come to my residence regularly for consultation. Yesterday, they came to discuss some issues. Many of the complained about neglect them by bureaucrats and not getting adequate attention in the party forum,” he said.

To a query if wanted to be chief minister, Mr Mohapatra said, “I do not have any ambition to become the CM at this moment. Had any ambition to become CM, I would have been so in 2009 when the party came to power for the third term in 2009. Of the 104 MLAs, more than 90 per cent were given tickets by me and they are still with me,” he claimed.

Asked what would be his reaction if Mr Patnaik takes disciplinary action against him and his loyalists, Mr Mohapatra retorted, “It’s like you are asking me if I would be using umbrella if it rains.”

To another question, he replied, “If the BJD legislators meet and decide to change the leadership, I cannot say anything on that. But such a possibility is far ahead.”

BJD vice president Dr Damodar Rout Mr Mohapatra was trying to destabilise the ruling BJD by holding an “unwarranted” meeting.Over 40 MLAs have gathered at Naveen Niwas waiting for the chief minister’s arrival from London.

Loyal BJD legislators await Naveen's return

Bhubaneswar: A day after some BJD MLAs met party MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra fuelling speculation of dissidence, over 60 party legislators on Wednesday gathered at the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is away in London, to express loyalty to him. 

"Naveen Patnaik is the supreme leader in the BJD. More than 60 MLAs and ministers are waiting at Naveen Niwas for the chief minister to return," BJD Vice-President Damodar Rout told reporters here. 

Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai said of the 104 MLAs of the party, over 60 were at Naveen Niwas and more would arrive. 

Significantly, Housing and Urban Development Minister Sarda Nayak, Transport Minister Sanjeev Sahu, Women and Child Development Minister Anjali Behera and Energy Minister Atanu S Nayak, who attended the meeting at Pyari Mohan Mohapatra's house in Saheed Nagar last night, were not seen at Naveen Niwas. 

Four MLAs, who attended the dissident camp meeting, however, were also present at Naveen Niwas. The BJP MP, on his part, claimed that he was unaware of reports that legislators close to him were holed up at a luxury hotel here. 

The CM was expected to return to Bhubaneswar soon. "It is not practically possible to reach here from London quickly. Patnaik is likely to return tomorrow," an official at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. 

Yesterday, the CM had told a news agency in London that in his absence an MP of his party was stirring trouble against his government and trying to divide the BJD which was deplorable. Mohapatra said "There is absolutely no threat to Naveen Patnaik from me. He is completely safe as chief minister as he is the leader of the BJD." 

Mohapatra, Panda deny revolt in BJD

Bhubaneswar: A day after reports indicated that all is not well within the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party in Odisha, the man at the centre of the “alleged revolt” has denied any such dissidence. 

Senior party leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra said BJD leader and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik continues to be their leader. He denied speculation that he planned to dethrone Patnaik. 

While stating that there was no dissidence in the party, Mohapatra did say that there were grievances because the party organisation was not being looked after properly. 

He said party members who had met him said they were unhappy because bureaucrats were not listening to them. He also said some ministers had told him that their secretaries were ignoring them. 

Mohapatra, 72, did not name Patnaik but said people with vested interests were trying to create indiscipline in the party and were not being checked despite repeated reminders. 

"For one-and-a-half years I have been pointing out indiscipline in the party but no action was taken," he said. Meanwhile, top party MP Jay Panda also rubbished as mere speculation reports of a revolt. 

Panda said, “There is no threat as is being speculated. I want to reiterate that there is no threat to the Naveen Patnaik-led government in the state.” 

The trouble started after it was reported that at least 25 BJD MLAs including four senior ministers Tuesday night met at Mohapatra’s Bhubaneswar residence in the absence of Naveen Patnaik, who is in the United Kingdom. 

It was being speculated that the BJD was heading for a possible split as a powerful section within the party had fallen out with the CM. Panda clarified on the issue saying, “The meeting at Pyari Mohan Mohapatra’s residence had nothing to do with the Naveen Patnaik government and it was called to discuss a statewide bandh called by the BJD to protest fuel price hike in the days to come.” 

The clarification from the BJD MP came in the wake of reports that the Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha is trying to form a “breakaway government” and is due to meet the Governor today to stake claim to form the government. 

The four ministers who attended the meeting presided by Mohapatra included Women Child Development Minister Anjali Behera, Higher Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra, Minister of Food, Civil supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sarada Prasad Naik, and Minister for Commerce and Transport Sanjeev Sahoo. 

Patnaik is currently in the UK and is scheduled to return on June 3. Despite the reported trouble in his party, he is not expected to cut short his UK trip and return home early. Reports of a rift widening between Patnaik and Mohapatra have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. 

I apologise for my misbehaviour at MCA: Shah Rukh Khan.

By: Basant Rath, Sr.Correspondent.


CHENNAI: An ecstatic Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday apologised for his misbehaviour with the Mumbai Cricket Associationofficials at the Wankhede Stadium after a match against Mumbai Indians.

Surrounded by his wife and daughter and other kids, the Bollywood superstar said, "I want to apologise to the kids for my misbehaviour at MCA. I apologise to all who saw me differently. I shouldn't have behaved in that manner. But today my team has won, so I guess, all you fans should forgive me. We have won at last."

He praised each and every player.

"I am proud of Gautam and the boys. We made a video of families of all our players and saw Manvinder Bisla's parents speaking about their son. They must be very proud and so am I. I want to tell the people of the Bengal, that now this team belongs to you."

Naveen on UK visit: No second-in-command in State.

Who is now the number two in the ruling BJD as well as in its 12-year-old Government? The issue is being debated in political circles here in the backdrop of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s ongoing nine-day tour of the United Kingdom since May 23.

All the orders are coming from Patnaik, who is also the party supremo, from London, whether it is the decision of the BJD to join the all-India shutdown call given by the opposition parties at the national level on May 31 against the petrol price hike or that of transfer of officials.

With the differences between Patnaik and his principal strategist and senior party MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra having widened further, the latter is no more calling shots in the BJD. The differences between the two were confirmed by Mohapatra himself when he told the media a few days ago, “I accept both the arguments that there was a rise in my influence and (is) a fall of that.”

When Patnaik left on his foreign jaunt for the first time in the 12 years of his rule, everybody was eager to know who would look after the party and the Government as the second-in-command in his absence. Patnaik, however, left no hints about it.

A number of Ministers who met Patnaik on the eve of his foreign visit had expected he would give the number two assignment to either of them. They were frustrated when the boss talked something other than what they were expecting.

Political observers had expected that as the senior-most Minister, Prafulla Chandra Ghadai would be asked to shoulder the responsibility of the administration in the Chief Minister’s absence.

Senior party leader and former Minister Damodar Rout, who is most vocal against “the second power centre” in the party and the Government, Pyarimohan Mohapatra, was also frustrated as Patnaik did not ask him to handle party affairs in his absence.

The leadership crisis was felt when Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh shot off a letter to Patnaik asking his Government to free all the innocent tribals booked on charge of being Maoists. Minister of Forests and Environment Debi Prasad Mishra tried to save the situation saying the State Government has withdrawn cases against 9,110 tribals. But the reply was all about statistics sans a political slant in view of the Union Minister’s apparent intention to defuse the tribal card being played by Patnaik propping up “eminent tribal leader” PA Sangma as a candidate for the Presidential elections.

Patnaik seems to give a clear message that there is no number two in the BJD and the Government. As many observers feel, time will tell if he can really manage the affairs of the party and administration without an unofficial second-in-command like Mohapatra.

Govt to revise vehicle usage rate for babus.

It is the babus who rule the roost in the State as far as availing of financial benefits are concerned.

You will be astonished that the senior officials are paying only Rs 300 to Rs 400 a month towards using official vehicles for private use. And the Finance Department sources reveal that the officials are paying the vehicle charges in accordance with a 2003 circular when petrol price per litre was only Rs 32. At present the price of petrol has gone up to Rs 73.

With the steep hike in petrol price, the Finance Department is considering a revision and rationalisation of the vehicle usage rate, said Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadai here on Saturday.

Mamata Banerjee to greet IPL champs KKR with 'Sandesh'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee smiled a lot as she said today that she has but her state's love to give to the new IPL champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders. "We are a poor state, we have nothing but our love to give them," she said.

But the CM does plan a grand felicitation at the iconic Eden Garden stadium tomorrow. It will be an open house, no tickets, between 11 am and 1 pm and entry will be on a first come first served basis, Ms Banerjee said. There would be a 'sandesh' cake and there would be song - "Chak de India type of songs," the CM reckoned. The Eden Garden seats 60,000 people.

The team was expected to arrive in Kolkata this evening from Chennai, where the final was played. They have now been delayed as the Air India flight they were booked on has been cancelled. The champs are now reportedly trying for seats on a 7.40 pm flight which means they will reach Kolkata only late tonight. Ms Banerjee's government had planned a reception at the airport by a team of state ministers.

As part of the felicitation programme tomorrow, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned KKR will carry the cup they won last night in a victory procession. A special vehicle will take them from Victoria to Mahakaran. Kolkata, Ms Banejee noted, celebrated KKR's big win over two-time champions Chennai Super Kings through the night.

An exultant Shah Rukh Khan had dedicated the win last evening to the people of Bengal. Ms Banerjee congratulated the popular actor, "our brand ambassador," but said she had not spoken to him yet.

First Odia woman Rupa Dash bags the first ever ‘Best Telecom Brand Marketer’ award at the 6th National Telecom Awards-2012.

New Delhi, May 20: The first Odia woman Rupa Dash, National Business Head, Percept Limited, the biggest Indian entertainment, media and communications conglomerate; have been bestowed with the first ever award of ‘Best Telecom Brand Marketer” at the recently held 6th National Telecom Awards-2012 which honored her  lasting contributions in creating an effective brand visibility of national and international  telecom players that it has serviced over the years, also complimented its cutting-edge  campaigns for the varied telecom brands as well.

Awarded at the 6th edition of the National Telecom Awards as organized by the Communication Media Association of India (CMAI), the apex organization promoting the Indian IT and Telecom sector, the award recognizes her continual commitment to create global telecom entities wherein she has helped home-grown companies to become ‘People’s Brand’ and has facilitated recognized entities to reach the zenith of telecommunication echelons, both nationally and globally.

Felicitating the best Telecom Companies and Service Operators for their research, development & innovations in this sector, the 6th National Telecom Awards identified and recognized the outstanding contributions to the field of communication, ICT, multimedia and infrastructure while providing greater encouragement and impetus to the players for their contribution in building a robust National Telecom Network.

The 6th National Telecom Awards this year was attended by over 2500 delegates making it the mother of all Telecom events in India, wherein attendees included luminaries like Dr Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General, ITU Geneva; Dr. JS Sarma, IAS, Chairman, TRAI; Shri R Chandrashekhar, IAS Secretary DOT, Govt. of India; Shri GB Pradhan, IAS Secretary, MNRE; Prof. Dr SS Mantha, Chairman, AICTE along with Shri Akhil Gupta, Deputy Group CEO and Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises; Shri Bharat Agarwal, Executive Director Dainik Bhaskar Group of Newspapers; Shri Ravi Sharma, CEO Adani Powers Ltd.

Dr. Hamadoun Toure, Secretary General, ITU Geneva, “Women are the bedrock of our societies and are the pillars of strength in every family and community. We need to ensure that they are fairly rewarded and do get the same opportunities as men get in every sphere of life. This year being celebrated as the ‘Year of Empowerment of Women in ICT’ makes me urge CMAI along with all the delegates present in here to work sincerely for the empowerment of women and  girls, both within and through ICT. With these remarks, it gives me great pleasure to present the cynosure award of the evening, ‘Best Telecom Brand Marketer’  which being spearheaded by a resourceful and dynamic woman-Ms. Rupa Dash  goes to show the ingenuity that a woman possesses in today’s corporate environ.”

Rupa Dash, National Business Head, Percept Limited said, “When I started servicing telecom clients post the economic meltdown of 2007, it came as a huge challenge to create brand visibility of telecom giants with the limited resources available. This award encapsulates trials and tribulations, achievements and successes; and inspires me to give in my best to the sector which is right now one of the most dynamic components of the Indian economy. I am really honored to be the recipient of the first ever award in this category and would like to thank ICT, CMAI, and Ministry of Telecom and every telecom partner of ours who have appreciated our worth in this category.”