Deputy Speaker Resigns Amid Facing Huge Unpopularity

By Jagadananda Pradhan

ANGUL:Though the resignation of the deputy speaker Rajanikant Singh is believed by political observers to enter into active politics, the fact of the matter is he was threatened by his arch-political rivals in his constituency Angul.

During his  non-activeness in active politics some of his potential rivals have groomed themselves to be contenders of BJD ticket in Angul constituency. They are Mahesh Kumar Dhal,Angul municipality chairman Akshya Samanta and former Angul municipality chairman Sakti Prasad Patnaik.They have been making loud and clear projecting themselves as the potential candidates and contenders to Rajanikanth Singh in Angul constituency. This has led Rajanikant Singh to quit constitutional post and enter into active politics, according to political observers. And finally he resigned from deputy speakership from Odisha Assembly.

It is worth mentioning that Singh has distanced himself from the common people in these years and people are highly disenchanted towards him in these years. He smelled the rot and decided to mend his fences in order to reach the people. His unpopularity and an opposition among the voters have prompted him to tender his resignation as the deputy speaker,it is believed.

Singh who had dominated the BJD political scenario in the district since 2004 has become inactive in party affairs since he became Deputy Speaker in 2019.

While his party BJD here welcomes the resignation of Singh from constitution post the opposition BJP and congress termed it as their internal matter. Commenting on the resignation, a senior BJD leader said,”It is a welcome step that our leader has resigned so that he will enter into active party politics. His speakership had created a vacuum in the district which required his leadership. While the election is some months away his resignation from the constitutional post is  an entrance into active politics is a welcome step. The entire unit of the BJD in the district is happy after this development.

The BJP district president Dileswar Pradhan how ever termed it as an internal party affairs of BJD.It is their decision to whom they will bring into forefront and to whom they will bring into oblivion.The resignation of Singh and his entry into active politics will no way impact the rising popularity of BJP in the district.

The congress district president Sangram Mishra also expressed  similar sentiments over the resignation of Rajanikant Singh.He said there is an undercurrent in favour of congress in the district and also in the country as  and the entry of Singh will in no way impact anything on the performances of the congress in the next assembly poll.

Rajanikanta Singh,known as Mantu Singh is a four time MLA since 2004 after his father Adwait Singh expired in 2003.His father was an undisputed non-congress leader in the undivided Dhenkanal district.Singh inherited his position from his father and became a dominant figure in BJP not only in Angul but also in Dhenkanal district.He was the minister in Naveen Patnaik cabinet in 2012 after midnight coup-attempt by late Pyrarimohan Mohapatra.How ever,in 2014 elections he could not become the minister and the was the party president in the district.In 2019, he was a front runner of ministership in undivided Dhenkanal district.But Prafulla Mallik stole the show. Singh was made deputy speaker.