Naveen props up AV Swamy for third RS seat

BHUBANESWAR: An 81-year-old Sarvadoya leader, A V Swamy, has been proposed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as the third Independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha. The move on Saturday  sparked off strong reaction across the political circles.Even though there is no open revolt in the BJD against the candidate, many have started to question the decision as to the benefit of sending such an old man to the Upper House. In what way Swamy will serve the interest of Odisha in the Rajya Sabha, a senior BJD leader asked.Swamy was a BDO in Boipariguda in undivided Koraput district in 1961. He was also the field director of Oxfam way back in 1973. After that, he had gone into a sort of retirement. The decision to float  Swamy’s name as the third candidate when there were several aspirants with better credentials has surprised many.After announcing the name, the Chief Minister said, “I think Swamy is the best choice for the third Independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.” Naveen had on Friday announced the names of former Indian hockey captain Dilip Tirkey and Nayagarh district president Rabi Narayan Mohapatra as the first and second candidates of the BJD for the March 30 Rajya Sabha polls.Meanwhile, the announcement of Swamy’s name as the Independent candidate by the Chief Minister has upset the calculations of other political parties.Independent MLA Jitu Patnaik had evinced interest to contest as the third candidate. “I will decide after meeting the Chief Minister,” he told mediapersons here.The Congress is, however, yet to take a decision on its Rajya Sabha candidate. “There is no intimation from the AICC and also no candidate has sought the party’s support so far,” a senior leader said.However, the situation has completely changed after the announcement of Swamy’s name.Political observers now await the decision of the Congress in this regard.As far as the calculation for Rajya Sabha poll goes, the BJD has 29 surplus votes followed by 27 votes of the Congress. The BJP has six MLAs and support of an Independent. The NCP has four and the CPI one MLA. While the Congress and the BJP claim the support of an Independent each, there are two Independents, Jitu Patnaik and George Tirkey.