Indus Valley Times

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 15: Former Odisha Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Giridhar Gamang on Sunday dismissed all speculations about “any immediate plan” to join the Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) led by Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Speaking to this correspondent, Mr Gamang said, “I’m in the BJP now and I have no immediate plan to make any new political move.”

Asked if he had any political discussions with the KCR during his meeting with him, the veteran politician said it was just a “courtesy call” and no discussion was held with regard to joining the BRS.

“KCR is an old friend of mine and it was simply a courtesy call.  Since I’m a musician, I expressed my desire to him to facilitate a cultural event in Hyderabad where I will be exhibiting my expertise in playing as many as 30 indegeneous tribal instruments at one time. I want to have this show in Hyderabad as its people are fond of music. Besides, Hyderabad always gives good publicity to such events,” Mr Gamang said, adding he had presented a show of tribal music 2002 which had received wide appreciation.

The former Odisha CM along with his son Shishir Gamang had on Tuesday met KCR in Hyderabad over lunch.

The senior Gamang’s observation came as a stark contrast to his son’s observation who said they had got an offer to join the BRS and take lead of the party in Odisha. “We have got an offer to join the BRS and lead the party in Odisha. However, my father and I are very much in the BJP now. We have not decided anything regarding the offer.”

“K Chandrasekhar Rao is a very good friend of my father and he had called us to share his views and vision on his newly-formed national party BRS. The Telangana CM is of the view that if a senior leader like my father joins BRS, it will help their party’s prospects in Odisha. It is only the first meeting. We are very much in the BJP. We have only got an offer and have not taken any decision and not communicated our views also.

The senior Gamang who was elected to Lok Sabha for nine times along with his son had in 2015 joined the BJP. Sources said the father and son duo are not happy in saffron party as they are not getting due importance. Besides, they are also frustrated with some senior BJP leaders “hobnobbing” with the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha.

“People of Odisha are frustrated with the BJP after they found that the party was not serious enough to fight against the ruling BJD. They are under the impression that the BJD and BJP are one and the same. So, the Gamangs are contemplating joining an alternative forum which can fight the BJD,” a source close to the father and son duo said.

The BRS, the source added, is looking for its Odisha entry from southern parts of the state which has got a good number of Telugu-speaking pockets. Districts like Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati and Malkangiri have sizable Telugu-speaking population.