Days after the spat between Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik and his one-time close confidante Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, culminating in the suspension of the rebel MP, the ruling party has found succor in the joining of four NCP legislators in the party fold.
The four NCP MLAs- Amar Prasad Satapathy, Ram Chandra Hansda, Prashant Nanda and Naveen Nanda joined BJD following deliberations with Patnaik.
With this NCP as a party has been virtually decimated in the state.
The recent chain of events beginning with Mohapatra assembling his supporters within BJD, ostensibly to oust Naveen and the party supremo striking back swiftly with suspension of Mohapatra as well as sacking of three ministers, has stirred the state's political turf, throwing up many permutations.
Though Patnaik's image as the undisputed party leader has been cemented further after the coup plot hatched by Mohapatra fell through, the Chief Minister is not sitting complacent, especially after the belligerent MP vowed to continue his fight against Patnaik.
The timing of four NCPs joining his party is the most opportune for Patnaik as it would signal to his detractors that the BJD boss' charisma and strength extends beyond the party ranks.
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Lately, the NCP MLAs had voiced dissent against their Central party leadership over choice of P A Sangma as the presidential candidate. The state party leaders had backed Patnaik who pledged support for Sangma, defying the stand of the NCP national leadership.
It may be recalled that the NCP was the ruling BJD's ally in the 2009 assembly polls where the regional outfit romped home with a landslide margin. On last Friday, Patnaik had suspended the once 'influential and powerful' MP, capping the high-voltage political drama. Patnaik also showed the door to Pyari loyalists- MLAs Pravat Biswal and Bibhuti Balabantray besides sacking three of his ministerial colleagues- Anjali Behera, Sanjeev Sahoo and Sarada Prasad Nayak.
Political watchers say more stern action was in the offing from the Chief Minister who was visibly miffed at the unprecedented turn of political events during his maiden overseas trip.