Bhubaneswar, July 20: Several actors associated with BJP have joined the race for the chairman post of Odisha Film Development Corporation (OFDC) after actor-turned politician Satyabrata Tripathy, popularly known as Kuna Tripathy, tendered his resignation on June 10 following collapse of BJD government.
BJP sources said the new government is mulling to appoint OFDC chairman along with other corporations of the state government. The exercise for selection of chairman to different corporations is going on and aspirants are visiting the party state headquarters daily to press for their lobby.
As scores of leading actors of Odisha film and entertainment industry have jumped to the BJP before the elections and joined the campaign fray, the party top leadership is finding it difficult to pick the chairman without any discontent among over a dozen of aspirants.
On the other hand, Odisha Film Producers & Distributors Guild (OFPDG) has submitted a five-point charter of demands before the state government for the development of Odia film industry.
The association has urged the government not to appoint OFDC chairman haphazardly and to give the industry minister additional charge of the corporation. Later, an eligible person should be appointed who is familiar with the industry.
Besides, the government should form a managing committee including members of registered associations of the film industry to take various developmental initiatives, said OFPDG secretary Arun Mohanty.
The former chairmen being a leader of the ruling BJD did nothing for the industry. If the new government follows the same way, nothing can be expected. A minister or senior bureaucrat should be appointed as the chairman of OFDC. So that the government can properly implement its developmental projects, said Odisha Cine Critics Association (OCCA) secretary Dilip Hali.
