Rohit Pujari is a first-generation politician from a middle-class family with no political linkage. Pujari opted for a political career despite graduating as an engineer from a prestigious institution and landing a job in a steel major. That’s not all. He carved out a niche for himself as a national-level badminton player. Pujari, a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader, represents the Rairakhol assembly constituency.
Pujari was first named from Rairakhol but later shifted to Sambalpur in an exchange of seats with senior party leader Prasanna Acharya. Among all the major assembly constituencies in Odisha, Sambalpur has suddenly sprung to new political prominence after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik fielded Rohit Pujari as BJD’s MLA candidate from Sambalpur. Pujari is pitted against BJP’s heavyweight Jayanarayan Mishra, known for his organizational skills.
In a candid discussion with Ommcom News Editor-in-Chief Jajati Karan, Pujari dwells on his dream, vision and mission for Sambalpur people if voted to power.
Q- You have been preparing for Rairakhol and you have built up your constituency there. But at the last moment, you have been shifted to Sambalpur. So, how challenging is this decision at the last moment and how you are facing it?
Ans- Definitely, I was better prepared for Rairakhol because I have been MLA there for the last ten years. Before that also, I have been working in that constituency. But since honourable Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sir wanted me to fight from Sambalpur and as a soldier of the BJD, I took the challenge to fight from Sambalpur. And Sambalpur is not new to me because it is my hometown. Also, I am the district president of BJD. So, I am visiting different areas and parts of the constituency. People are very happy to support me because they feel that the present MLA has not visited any of the localities in the last five years and there has not been any development in those localities.
Q- Give three important reasons why the people of Sambalpur will vote for you.
Ans- People of Sambalpur are looking for a younger and sincere leader who will bring development to them in different wards and slums. Because right from the drainage system, drinking water facility, roads, streetlights, everything is in bad shape. The main reason behind it is that the present MLA and MP never visited any of these areas. They never did any development in any of these places. So people are frustrated with them. They are looking for a change because they understand that a representative of Naveen Patnaik will bring development. They are banking on me because they feel that I am more sincere in my work. They know my work in Rairakhol also. So, they feel that I will be sincere and more committed to the people of Sambalpur when it comes to development.
Jaynarayan Mishra Ji has been MLA in Sambalpur for the last 20 years. In 20 years, Sambalpur has not reached the level of development it should have. Sambalpur is the epicentre of Western Odisha. It is one of the major cities after Bhubaneswar. Sadly, the present MLA has not been able to give justice to Sambalpur.
Q- What is the biggest challenge you are facing in this election?
Ans- We all know that Sambalpur is going to witness the biggest fight of this election and it is between Pranab Prakash Das and Dharmendra Pradhan. And all eyes are on that.
Q- You can play a major role because you are representing the Sambalpur assembly constituency. So, how are you looking at being a part of this big fight?
Ans- Dharmendra Pradhan Ji is BJP’s main leader while Pranab Prakash is the main leader of BJD. So I feel Pranab Prakash aka Bobby bhai will win because he has been part of the grassroots organizational politics in Sambalpur for the last few years. And his father late Ashok Das was very much part of Sambalpur earlier. So, people fondly remember him also. People also know that last time people supported the BJP to win both parliament and assembly seats but they did not carry out any developmental work.
Q – If you are voted to power, what are the three major changes that you would like to bring to Sambalpur?
Ans- In every hamlet (we call it pada), the drainage system, drinking water facility, communication, public toilet facility, streetlights, clubs and mandaps are not in good shape. My priority is to give them a facelift.
Another big challenge is we need to spruce up the healthcare system. Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), in particular, has to be spruced up. We have to make it one of the best hospitals in the country. Secondly, we need another super speciality hospital on PPP mode.
Also, I would like to connect all the 50,000 houses in slums with solar systems so that electricity cost comes down. Besides, I would like to install cameras in all streets and lanes. I would like to give a boost to civic amenities and infrastructure.
Also, we have lots of scope in the tourism sector. Guru Padmasambhav is the biggest Guru after Gautam Buddha for Buddhist people. For Buddhist followers throughout the world, we would like to have a grand statue of him so that we can attract tourists to this site from different parts of Asia and the world. Besides, we need a barrage on River Mahanadi so that the river looks beautiful. Along with riverside beautification, it can help sort out drinking water issues in Sambalpur.
Of course, the Samaleswari project has been a big boost for Sambalpur and this project has made the people of Sambalpur and the followers of Maa Samaleswari in the state and outside very proud.
Q- It’s very easy to point out fingers at major opponents. But I would like to ask you one good thing you can tell me about your major opponent Jaynarayan Mishra?
Ans- He is a grassroots worker and he understands the pulse of the people of Sambalpur. He has good organizational skills and that has kept him winning despite not doing any developmental work for Sambalpur.
