BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik-led Government is in limbo due to forthcoming panchayat polls. With the model code of conduct in force and who's who of the council of ministers, including the Chief Minister, hitting the campaign trail, the governance has come to a grinding halt. The five-phase rural polls will kick off from February 11.The corridors of power in the Secretariat wear a deserted look with the ministers busy canvassing in their areas. "The minister has gone to his/her area,’’ pat comes the reply from the minister’s secretariat staff when asked about the whereabouts of the minister. With the model code of conduct prohibiting the Government from taking any policy decisions, an inertia of sorts has gripped the government.Admitted Minister of State for School & Mass Education Pratap Jena, "The governance paralysis will continue for a certain time. The model code has come in the way of taking major decisions as there are curbs on doing administrative work.’’As had been the case, the bureaucracy remains blissfully indifferent. Even in normal times, there are instances where ministers complained about not getting the right kind of support from the babudom. "How can we take decision without the consent of the minister,’’ said a babu on condition of anonymity.Another major stumbling block is centralisation of power. It is well-known that Naveen relies more on bureaucrats than his ministers. So the ministers look to Chief Minister’s Office to take even ‘minor’ decisions, said an analyst. With Naveen on a whistle-stop tour of the State, the governance has slipped into a coma.Amid scores of charges and piles of scams, the BJD Government has pulled out all stops to ensure victory of party’s candidates. And the governance is the ultimate casualty.
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