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Odisha club polls turn interesting as 2 former chief secretaries face off
Recent elections to Bhubaneswar Club were dull affairs with its former president Priyabrat Patnaik single-handedly running the show. Patnaik, a former IAS officer, was known more as the president of the club as members claimed he paid greater attention to its affairs
For decades, Bijay Patnaik, a 1976-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and Asit Tripathy, a 1986-batch IAS officer not only worked in tandem in the Odisha government but also rose to the highest seat of power in state bureaucracy, becoming chief secretaries. The two bureaucrats were not done after retiring from the Indian Administrative Service and are now locking horns for the post of president of Bhubaneswar Club, the two-day long elections to which began on Saturday. Results will be declared on Monday.
While the preparations for the bye-elections in Pipili assembly constituency scheduled next month is a staid affair, elections for the top post of the 71-year-old club, otherwise known as a watering hole of the IAS officers and businessmen in Bhubaneswar, has become rather interesting with Tripathy and Patnaik sending video messages, recorded audio messages and e-fliers to over 1800-odd members eligible to vote.
“I am getting so many messages from the candidates that my mailboxes are jammed. I wonder if this has become a college union election with candidates pushing it a bit too much,” chuckled a club member, unwilling to be named.
For the last decade or so, elections to Bhubaneswar Club were very dull affairs with its former president Priyabrat Patnaik single-handedly running the show. Patnaik, a former IAS officer, was known more as the president of the club as he paid greater attention to its affairs resulting in retention of its presidency for the last 9 years. He died last year after a long battle with liver cancer.
What may have turned an otherwise staid club election to find Patnaik’s replacement interesting is the subtle official support to Tripathy, now principal advisor to chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Finance secretary Vishal Dev standing for the post of secretary of the club has triggered rumours that the government wants to develop an otherwise ordinary-looking club so that business investors can look for some recreation after a hard day’s work in the state capital.
“The club is a living heritage of our dynamic city and deserves a beautiful facade and better physical amenities. The premier clubs in other cities are dynamic places where members and their families enjoy warm camaraderie and companionship. I have come forward to contest the election for president of our club along with a group of highly motivated colleagues who are committed to my vision of transformation of our club,” said Tripathy.
“I want the club to grow like the India Habitat Centre,” he added.
Patnaik, who retired as chief secretary 8 years ago and worked in the CM’s office for 6 years, said he wanted to repay some of his debt to the club. “I have been enjoying the hospitality of the club for more than 30 years. For me, the post of president is not another empire to be conquered or a trophy to be won,” said Patnaik, who was close to Priyabrat Patnaik, former president of the club. Patnaik is backed by outgoing club secretary Ashok Chinchela, who is seeking re-election, and outgoing vice-president Sudipto Das.
A key associate of chief minister a decade ago, Bijoy Patnaik after retirement was made chief of Odisha Staff Selection Commission and then member of Odisha Human Rights Commission. Tripathy, after his retirement as chief secretary in December 2020, was promptly appointed as principal advisor to CM and chairman of Western Odisha Development Council. There are speculations that he may be fielded as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate from Bolangir in Lok Sabha elections with an aim to blunt the influence of the royal family of Singhdeos.
Many believe the power struggle for the club would help clean up its past blemishes. In 2007, the club, headed by Priyabrata Patnaik, triggered a controversy after it was revealed that the club was among the applicants for the Khandadhar iron ore mines in Sundargarh district, for which South Korean steel major Posco was also a contender. The club later withdrew the application after the Union ministry of personnel took a serious view of the matter.
In early 2000, the club had stirred a controversy by rejecting the application for membership of the then commercial tax commissioner Taradutt, an IAS officer, after his department sent a notice to the club alleging it had not paid sales tax dues. The club then went on an appeal before the sales tax tribunal and got a breather.
