Chatterbox: What is cooking in Odisha?

Baijayant (Jay) Panda, may have been abandoned by his party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) but his farewell dinner was well attended, with guests cutting across party lines. Dharmendra Pradhan, the man who is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial face from Odisha was also present. There is no clarity on where Panda is going next in terms of political affiliation, but his resounding support to many of the prime minister’s schemes suggests saffron could be his colour. If that is so, he needs Pradhan’s support. But on second thoughts, does he? The BJD supported the NDA’s candidate for deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh. If this is the start of a new beautiful friendship that will extend into 2019, Pradhan’s (and Panda’s) campaign against the BJD, might have been aborted before it has even begun. As a state, Odisha has to be watched closely.

 
Work is worship
 
Mukesh Rasikbhai Shah has just become Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. In an interview to Hindi daily Amar Ujala, Justice Shah was asked: “You are from Gujarat. You belong to the state of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. People say you belong to their town. How important is it for a Gujarati to clarify these perceptions? Every sees a connect between you and Modi. Why is this”. Justice Shah’s reply is: “because Narendra Modi is a model. He is a hero. This has been going on for a month in the social media.” Shah is asked what he thinks of Hindutva. He says: “I have not studied the matter. I believe in work. Work is worship”.