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Biswal is the new CM but Patnaik will rule by proxy

Bibhuti Mishra in Bhubhaneswar

The imbroglio in the Orissa Congress is finally over and the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Hemananda Biswal is to step into the shoes of the beleaguered Giridhar Gamang. His nine-and-a-half month rule is regarded as an unmitigated disaster culminating in the utter mismanagement of the post-cyclone relief work.

Gamang, whose continuation as chief minister was doubtful for the last one week -- he made a last-ditch attempt to save his seat by seeking an audience with Sonia Gandhi, leaving the All India Congress Committee observers stranded in here -- last night expressed his desire to step down to pave the way for an amicable settlement of the ongoing crisis.

The numbers game did not favour him and the high command was also not in a position to save him. The Congress Legislature Party met today and Gamang proposed the name of Biswal. It was seconded by former CM J B Patnaik. Patnaik, in all likelihood would be anointed as the new OPCC chief but only after Biswal is sworn in as the new CM tomorrow.

"I was working for the relief of the cyclone-affected and got relieved instead," said a crestfallen Gamang trying hard to be tongue-in-cheek. Gamang, who was seen to be a poor administrator, got a bad beating when in the Lok Sabha polls the Congress fared disastrously, managing to win only two out of the 21seats. His position got indefensible when he was found totally wanting in organising effective relief to the cyclone victims.

The dissidence that began brewing began to snowball when about 58 legislators met a week back and demanded a change of leadership. Some ministers came out against him and for the first time J B Patnaik also threw his weight behind the dissidents openly. "I shall not resign as long as the high command does not ask me to; I did not become the CM because of the support of the MLAs," Gamang had said rather foolishly while going to Delhi to meet Sonia.

History repeats itself: Hemananda Biswal as the sacrificial lamb!

Hemananda Biswal, the western Orissa tribal leader was chief minister in '89 under similar circumstances. J B Patnaik was eased out as the CM after the Congress managed to win only three out of the 21 seats in the ninth Lok Sabha election. Then too elections to the assembly was just round the corner. Then too Biwal emerged as the consensus candidate. He is ideal in such circumstances when a stopgap arrangement is needed. He has not got any powerful enemies nor a strong following.

Biswal's record is also far from impressive. In the last LS polls he lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party's Debendra Pradhan -- now a Union minister -- by 86,869 votes from Deogarh. After being elected the CLP leader unanimously he thanked the high command and the MLAs for reposing faith in him and said that he would give first priority to relief and rehabilitation of the cyclone victims.

J B Patnaik is going to wield the real power if he is made the PCC chief, for the ticket distribution for the assembly polls will be in his hands; he could also escape the blame for administrative lapses since the government formally will be headed by Biswal. It remains to be seen how another power-broker Basant Biswal manages to get 'rehabilitated' after his game of first supporting Patnaik and then switching over to Gamang appears to have backfired.

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