Odisha Jan Morcha stares at uncertain future after Pyarimohan Mohapatra’s demise

BHUBANESWAR: As Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM) stares at an uncertain future in the backdrop its founder Pyarimohan Mohapatra’s death, the political party’s leaders said they would make yet another attempt to forge alliance with non-BJD outfits in the run-up to 2019 general election. In 2014, OJM unsuccessfully tried to join hands with BJP and some other fringe political parties.
“We could not succeed in getting the support of BJP and some other parties.We still have the hope and will explore the possibilities for a grand alliance ahead of 2019 elections. Unless we get support from others, it would be difficult for OJM alone to rout the ruling BJD,” OJM’s secretary general Jagneswar Babu told TOI.
Many believe OJM got lukewarm response from BJP in 2014 as Mohapatra was instrumental for BJD’s split from BJP in the state in 2009. Jagneswar said OJM’s state executive council body, comprising nearly 150 members, would soon convene a meeting and draw strategies. He said the council will choose OJM’s president, the post Mohapatra held since floating the party on September 30, 2013 following his ouster from ruling BJD. “Pyari babu’s demise is an irreparable loss for the party. We will take opinions of his family members and insist them to lead the party. We will try to fulfil Pyari babu’s dream of taking OJM to a new high,” Jagneswar said.
Mohapatra’s eldest daughter Sikta Pati, an astrologist, said her mother will take a decision if anyone from the family will carry ahead her father’s political legacy. “We were never involved in politics. Destiny will decide the future course of action,” Pati said.
OJM, which was perceived to give sleepless night to BJD following Mohapatra’s expulsion from the ruling party in the wake of his alleged coup against Naveen Patnaik, so far failed to make a splash in the state politics. The OJM miserably failed to perform in 2014 elections where it fielded candidates in 68 out of 147 assembly seats and 3 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats. OJM could not win a single seat in the simultaneous elections.
“We could not take part in recent Panchayat elections as Pyari babu was ill. Though Pyari babu asked us to hold a meeting with state executive members and chalk out strategies for the rural polls, his condition deteriorated a few months ago. We will try to revive the party and fight against BJD,” said Birakishore Parida, OJM’s general secretary in-charge of West Odisha.