Interviewtimes 
“Power tends to corrupt
And, absolute power corrupts absolutely!
How often have we come across this aphorism? Once political leaders get the massive mandate of the people, they play truant with their expectations. But there are leaders in the vast and variegated spectrum of politics who are outliers. They break free from the clutter to set examples of integrity and selflessness. One such gleaming example is Sanjeeb Kumar Mallick, the incumbent MLA of Bhadrak.
I’ll narrate an anecdote that vindicates the credentials of this adorable MLA. An old man aged around sixty and the deserving beneficiary of a pucca house failed to avail it because of the callous approach of the local representatives. Though the old man visited the doorstep of the people who mattered, his grievance went unheeded. In deep despair, he reached out to the MLA in his Bhubaneswar residence in a last ditch effort to set things right. Within five minutes of attending to his distress, the MLA dialed up the concerned officials in the state machinery to ensure that the house is allocated without more delay. Pursuant to the sitting MLA’s efforts, the old man got a call from the local authorities that he will be entitled to his pucca house under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana the next morning. Minutes of intervention by the kind hearted MLA pulled it off!
Understandably, the old man was elated at the alacrity with which he got his long standing due. From then on, he valued the presence of genuine, above board politicians wedded to the cause of the people at the grassroots.
However, when the honorable MLA was contacted for this gesture, he remained his humble self. Instead of cornering credit as most of his peers would have done, Mallick said it was his duty to help the destitute man in distress. Rather, he believes the job could have been done earlier.
Life has taken a dramatic turn after Mallick got elected as the MLA from Bhadrak. He now invests 18 hours each day for fulfilling the expectations of his electorate. He strictly believes that performance ought to be more work and less noise. “What I am today is because of the visionary Chief Minister of Odisha Mr Naveen Patnaik. His simple living inspires me incessantly”, Mallick said.
He advocates that political power should be used for constructive purposes like public transport and building infrastructure like roads and bridges. “This way, we will have the perpetual blessings of the people. Let’s be grateful to them”.
