The Monday’s bandh call against the fuel price hikes seemingly provided the ruling BJD in Orissa and BJP a perfect opportunity to show their strengths ever since they parted ways last year over the contentious issue of seat-sharing for the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
Both the parties literally tried their best to organise massive rallies across the state to draw the public and media attention. However, the BJD managed to steal the show, thanks to its strategist Pyarimohan Mohapatra who led the battle from the front.
The BJP president Jual Oram, who was leading a massive motor-cycle rally and advancing towards the state secretariat, was taken into custody.
Most of the media persons, who were waiting for Mr Oram had a hard time to convince the police to allow them to take the versions of the BJP stalwart.
The BJD leader Mr Mohapatra, who is also considered in political circles here as the de facto chief of the party, was the only political heavyweight left for the media to interact with.
The Left parties and others like NCP, RJD and Samajwadi Party preferred to keep away from the BJD-BJP’s publicity competition and picketed at their pre-decided destinations.
The dawn-to-dusk shutdown seriously affected normal life in the state.