Interviewtimes 
Arabinda Dhali, MLA
There are only a handful of politicians in Odisha who have not only selflessly worked for the benefit of the people but have been spartan in leading their personal and social lives. One such politician is Dr. Arabinda Dhali. The incumbent MLA of Jayadev constituency, Dhali has been a low-key politician of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). A sixth term member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Dhali took the plunge into politics from his home land and the Naxal infested Malkangiri constituency decades back. On a couple of occasions, he had a close shave in landmine attacks planted by the Red rebels. Later, his political battlefield took a turn with the BJD fielding him from the Jayadev constituency (Bhubaneswar).
Dhali always wanted to serve people, especially the poor and downtrodden. This thought of the poor and dispossessed gravitated him towards politics. “I was aghast to see the locals struggle for basic amenities like water, health and education in Malkangiri. As a government employee in the undivided district of Koraput then, I wanted to contribute to address their problems. Therefore I decided to step into politics and dedicate my life for the welfare of others,” he said. Dhali, who made his political debut in 1990 as a member of the BJP, was elected as Malkangiri MLA in 1992 and continued to hold the post till 2000.
Subsequently, he was assigned the important portfolio as the Cabinet Minister of Textile, Transport and Corporation department in the BJD-BJP alliance government in the State. In the capacity of the Cabinet Minister, his work was noticed that shot him to prominence in the state. Few years later, he quit the BJP. Eventually, inspired by the ideology of Naveen Patnaik, he joined the Biju Janata Dal in 2009 and since then, he has never looked back. Currently, he is serving as the MLA of Jayadev constituency.
Dhali is among the rare breed of politicians who have worked under three different powerful chief ministers namely, Late Biju Patnaik, Late Janaki Ballabh Patnaik & Naveen Patnaik. Also cited each one of them as Chief Minister has their own uniqueness to serve for the welfare of the people. Notably, Dhali stressed Mr. Naveen Patnaik is more meticulous in devising & discharging various schemes and programmes for the common people with speed and accuracy.
Dhali who has been active in Odisha politics for the last three decades is happy with the current political scenario in the state. “The Naveen Patnaik-led government is the best in the country. No other state has set an example in disaster management like Odisha did. It is encouraging to see more youth and women getting involved in Odisha politics. I am proud to be a part and parcel of the current state government that has been doing wonders one after the other,” he opined.
Apart from politics, Dhali takes keen interest to promote art, culture, tradition and Odia literature. He also finds pleasure in writing journals especially on issues plaguing the society and youth. Dhali also leads a disciplined life and practices spiritualism.
On a concluding note, Dhali urged the youth to come forward and work for the benefit of the society. He says, “Staying positive and having a peace of mind in life is the key to success. During the initial days of my political journey, I had to face a lot of difficulties. Yet, I never gave up. I was confident of my potential and abilities which kept me going. Hence, patience and perseverance are two important qualities that youngsters should imbibe in their lives to fulfil their dreams.”
Written By- EALINA ASTHA SAMARPITA
