Bhubaneswar, Mar 20: BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik’s surprise move of appointing Rajya Sabha member Bishnu Das as deputy chairman of State Planning Board has sparked fresh speculation over the replacement of Das in the Upper House. Talks are doing round on several party aspirants who may fill up the vacant seat while Patnaik’s sister Gita Mehta is said to be a front runner in this regard. Eight months after sending him to Rajya Sabha, Patnaik has again taken a U-turn by taking the Jagatsingpur strongman back to State. Political analysts predicted that Gita Mehta might be engaged in the political matter of BJD in Delhi. Besides the name of Mehta, BJD firebrand Pratap Deb, former MP Bhupinder Singh and Bimbadhar Kuanra are also said to be in the race. Some retired bureaucrats and eminent personalities are also said to be in Naveen’s goodwill list. It is said that a leader, who will be sent to the upper House, would remain in charge of political management of party like Pyari Mohapatra and Kalpataru Dash. Bishnu Charan Das said he will quit as Rajya Sabha MP before assuming charge as Vice Chairman of State Planning Board.
