Bhubaneswar: For some prominent political families in Odisha, public affairs, it appears, means having a stake in every pie.
From the Patnaiks of Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik and the Gamangs of southern Odisha’s Koraput to the Singh Deos of Bolangir and the Biswals of Sundargarh, there are at least half-a-dozen political clans in the state with family members in the three main parties in the state — the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
Most of them also were also fielded in the recent elections in the state. Assembly and Lok Sabha polls were held simultaneously in four phases in Odisha — 11 April, 18 April, 23 April, 29 April.
The Patnaiks
The most talked about family in Odisha is that of mining baron Niranjan Patnaik, the state Congress president who contested the assembly elections from Ghasipura. His brother, Rajya Sabha MP Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who is also the son-in-law of former Congress chief minister J.B. Patnaik, is in the BJD.
Soumya Ranjan joined the BJD last year and was fielded in the assembly election from Khandapara. Niranjan Patnaik’s son, Nabjyoti Patnaik, is in the Congress and contested the Lok Sabha election from Balasore.
The Bolangir royal family
Then there is the Singh Deo royal family of Bolangir. Family patriarch A.U. Singh Deo is a BJD Rajya Sabha MP. His two sons — sitting MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, who was retained in Bolangir and younger brother Arkesh, who contested the assembly elections from Bolangir — are also with the BJD.
However, A.U. Singh Deo’s nephew, K.V. Singh Deo, and the latter’s wife Sangeeta are in the BJP. Sangeeta contested against her brother-in-law Kalikesh from the Bolangir Lok Sabha seat.
The Biswals
Former Odisha chief minister Hemananda Biswal has always been a Congress leader. This election, however, his elder daughter Sunita contested the Lok Sabha poll from Sundargarh on a BJD ticket. Biswal’s younger daughter, Anita, though is with the Congress and contested the assembly elections from Sundargarh.
The Gamangs
Former Odisha CM Giridhar Gamang began his career in the Congress. But he joined the BJP along with his son Sisir. Gamang’s wife Hema, however, is with the BJD. She contested on a BJD ticket in 2014 and lost. She was not fielded this time. Sisir was the BJP candidate at the Gunupur assembly seat.
Nandas & Routs
Odia actor Prashant Nanda is a BJD spokesperson and a Rajya Sabha MP. His son, Rishabh, however, joined the BJP in March.
Former BJD leader Damodar Rout fell out with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and joined the BJP recently. His son Sambit Routray, continues to be with the BJP and was fielded from the Paradip assembly seat. Damodar Rout is contesting from the adjoining assembly seat of Balikuda-Erasama.
‘Self-interest rules’
Political scientists say it reflects the trend that political parties matter very little to individuals.
“This is not good as politicians are sacrificing ideology for their self-interest. During the freedom struggle, people sacrificed their self ideology and interest. Now it’s the other way round,” said noted Odisha based historian professor Pritish Acharya.
Acharya said the trend is not one-sided as parties also try to get winnable candidates. “The party and the person play a supplementary and a complementary role.”
Jugal Kishore Mohapatra, former Odisha chief secretary, said the trend is not unique to the state but has now become more prevalent. However, he says that one should not pass value judgement as every person has a right to choose the party they want to be in.
“It’s a phenomenon we have not seen in the past when political allegiance was more rooted in the family. Inheritors of political legacy would remain in the party,” Mohapatra said.