'Puri is the only Jagannath Dham... no one, not even any neta, can replicate that faith'
Nearly a year after creating history and becoming the 1st BJP CM of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi spoke to Manash Pratim Gohain and Dipak Dash on the twin challenge of meeting high public expectations & redefining state's development narrative.
Excerpts:
Did you expect to be Odisha's first BJP CM? Did you feel the pressure of stepping into a space dominated by Naveen Patnaik for over two decades?
I didn't expect or think I'd become CM. Honestly, I just hoped to be a good minister. I've always worked with intention of serving people, with nationalism in my heart. I have been elected four times as an MLA. As party's chief whip, I consistently raised people's issues and questioned the Patnaik govt's policies. Perhaps that consistent public service brought me here.
There was no real challenge when I took over.
If you have willpower and a strong leader like PM Modi backing you, anything is possible. Yes, people only knew Naveen babu as CM for over 20 years. But governance isn't about occupying a chair. Biju babu, his father (a big leader), had to wait for 27 years to become CM for the second time. Winning repeatedly does not equal meaningful leadership. He (Naveen) didn't speak Odia, didn't meet MLAs or MPs, and didn't visit the CM grievance cell for 16 years.
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I go there every week. I meet people at 3 am if needed. That's the kind of accessible governance people want - not isolation and silence.
How has your first year in government been?
We've fulfilled 11 major promises out of our '21' programmes in the manifesto. We launched the Subhadra Yojana on Sept 17, 2024, in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. We gave Rs 10,000 each to 25 lakh women that day. We have exceeded our five-year target of 1 crore beneficiaries in just a few months.
We also launched CM-Kisan - adding Rs 4,000 to the Rs 6,000 given under the scheme. We provided Rs 800 as input assistance per quintal of paddy, raising the effective MSP to Rs 3,100.
But it is said the BJD govt left state finances in good shape.
If they had the money, why didn't they use it for the people? Why did they not give money to women and farmers? The credit goes to Modi ji, who amended the MMDR Act - turning lease-based mining into auctions with premiums. That's why Odisha is earning more today.
There have been sensitive issues with neighbouring states, including Jagannath Dham in Digha. How are you addressing them?
n Puri is the abode of Lord Jagannath and is the only Jagannath Dham. It is one of the Char Dhams, established since the time of Adi Shankaracharya. No one, including any political leader, can replicate or shift that faith.
What's your vision for Odisha by end of your term in 2029?
By 2029, Odisha will be among the top five industrialised states.
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