Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik is an unlikely but successful politician. Now in the last year of his second consecutive term, he is expected to win a third in 2009. Usually shy of the media, he did make time for Outlook. Saba Naqvi Bhaumik met the CM at his secretariat office and residence. Excerpts:No one thought you'd survive politics. But here you are...Before entering politics, my life was in Delhi.
| | | | I have not travelled out of India since I entered politics. I should see if my passport has expired. I can't spell 'vacation' now. | | | | |
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I hadn't spent much time in Orissa, nor did I expect to. Then my father died on April 17, 1997, and my life changed. I was elected to his Lok Sabha seat two months later. Then in 2000 I came to Orissa as chief minister and there's been no looking back.
You are a product of dynastic politics. How do you rate Rahul Gandhi?Father's great reputation is what I have built on. But he never promoted his children as a dynasty. I had never assumed I would enter politics, but events moved quickly after his death. As for Rahul Gandhi, let's wait and see how he does. It seems to me that he may still have a lot to learn.
The old Biju loyalists had thought they'd use you as a puppet. But you have ruthlessly reduced them to non-entities...Ruthlessness is not the appropriate word. As chief minister, one does change the ministry now and then. And we have to get rid of people who face charges of corruption.
You also have the reputation of being a loner, solitary...(
Smiles) I am not familiar with durbars, so I don't have them. But I promise you I am not locked up in a room by myself. I am in the secretariat office till 9.30 pm every night. I have endless meetings with people. My daily routine is very regular.
How much do you see of your family?My sister Gita Mehta comes down once a year in spring. My mother lives in Delhi but comes here for three months in winters and lives in Naveen Nivas.
Did you name the house? Or your father?I would never dream of naming a house after myself. There was father and I've always had a mother too...(
laughs).
Do you get to meet your old friends?I have not travelled out of India since I entered politics. I know other chief ministers travel but I had already seen the world. I should see if my passport has expired. I can't spell 'vacation' now.
Why do you think you have succeeded politically in such a poor state when you don't even speak Oriya properly?The people have been most kind and my Oriya is always improving. I can't judge myself. Wait till the end of my innings.
In the last assembly and later local body elections, the BJD's popularity and seats went up while the BJP's came down. Will you change the seat-sharing formula with the BJP? When we go for the third assembly elections, we should be prepared to face some anti-incumbency. Then delimitation, if it happens, could change the political map. All I'll say now is, winnability will have to be the main criteria for seat-sharing.
Your alliance partner BJP has strong views on conversion. You recently had violence against Christians...I am a member of the NDA and the agenda is secular. On conversion, I believe in freedom of religion and following the law of the land. The Graham Staines murder took place under Congress rule. In the eight years I have been CM, no communal incident of any seriousness except the recent one has taken place and the situation was brought under control in three days.
How do you cope with the Naxalite problem?The situation is much worse in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Having said that, we are trying to deal with it as a socio-economic problem. We believe that is the key.
You don't believe in excessive force as a solution to fight Maoists like some BJP leaders advocate?I believe that human rights are most important. That should always be kept in mind. But we must follow the law of the land.
The proposed Tata factory in Kalinganagar has been strongly opposed; the POSCO proposal too is controversial.POSCO is the largest FDI proposal to come to India. There is a problem of displacement and it must be handled humanely. Very generous packages are being planned and POSCO will be inaugurated on April 1, hopefully without any controversy. Please check the figures, but I believe that the largest foreign investments have come to Orissa.
When L.K. Advani demanded that A.B. Vajpayee get the Bharat Ratna, the BJD wanted it given to Biju Patnaik though you are part of the NDA.Father certainly deserves it.
And Vajpayee doesn't?(
Laughs) Comparisons are always odious.