Srikant Jena is a veteran Indian politician who has served in various capacities at both the state and the national level. He is currently a member of the Indian National Congress (INC), the oldest and one of the largest political parties in India. He has been a four-time member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, representing different constituencies in Odisha, his home state.
He has also been a three-time member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, the state legislature of Odisha. He has held several ministerial portfolios, such as Parliamentary Affairs, Tourism, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Statistics and Programme Implementation, Small Scale Industry, Agro and Rural Industries, Industry and Urban Development. He is known for his outspoken views and his advocacy for the rights and interests of the people of Odisha, especially the marginalized and oppressed sections.
Early Life and Education
Srikant Jena was born on 18 June 1950 in Ratnagiri, a village in Jajpur district of Odisha. He belongs to a humble and modest family. His father, Shri Raghunath Jena, was a farmer and his mother, Smt. Sailabala Jena, was a homemaker. He has two brothers and two sisters. He completed his primary and secondary education in his village and nearby towns.
He then moved to Cuttack, the former capital of Odisha, to pursue higher studies. He graduated from Kendrapara College, affiliated to Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972. He was interested in politics and social issues since his college days and participated in various student movements and activities.
Srikant Jena Wiki/Bio
| Name | Srikant Kumar Jena |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 June 1950 |
| Birth Place | Ratnagiri, Jajpur, Odisha, India |
| Residence | New Delhi and Bhubaneswar, India |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts from Kendrapara College, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
| Political Party | Indian National Congress |
| Other Political Affiliations | Janata Dal |
| Spouse | Subrata Jena |
| Children | Abhishek Jena (son) and Ananya Jena (daughter) |
| Occupation | Politician and Businessman |
| Positions Held | Union Minister of State, Small-Scale Industry, Agro and Rural Industries (1989-1990) Union Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism (1996-1998) Minister of State (Independent charge) for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Statistics & Programme Implementation (2009-2014) Member of the Lok Sabha (1989-1998, 2009-2014) Member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly (1977-1989) Minister of State, Industry and Urban Development, Govt. of Odisha (1979-1980) |
| Social Media | Twitter: srikantjena3 Facebook: srikantjena1950 |
| Homepage | newsinbollywood.com |
| Wikipedia | Srikant_Kumar_Jena |
Political Career
Srikant Jena entered politics in 1977, when he contested and won the assembly election from Bari constituency in Jajpur district as an independent candidate. He was only 27 years old at that time. He joined the Janata Party, a coalition of anti-Congress parties, and became a minister of state for industry and urban development in the state government led by Nilamani Routray. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1980 and 1985. He became the leader of the Janata Party in the assembly and the leader of the opposition in 1985.
In 1989, he shifted to national politics and contested the Lok Sabha election from Cuttack constituency as a Janata Dal candidate. He defeated the incumbent Congress MP and former chief minister of Odisha, Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, by a margin of over 100,000 votes. He became a minister of state for small scale industry, agro and rural industries in the National Front government led by V. P. Singh. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1991 and 1996. He became a cabinet minister for parliamentary affairs and tourism in the United Front government led by H. D. Deve Gowda and I. K. Gujral. He also served as the chief whip of the Janata Dal in the Lok Sabha.
In 1998, he lost the Lok Sabha election from Kendrapara constituency to Prabhat Kumar Samantaray of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), a regional party formed by former chief minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik. He remained out of power for the next 11 years, during which he switched to the Congress party in 2004. He contested the Lok Sabha election from Balasore constituency in 2009 and won by a margin of over 40,000 votes. He became a minister of state (independent charge) for chemicals and fertilizers and statistics and programme implementation in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by Manmohan Singh. He lost the Lok Sabha election from the same constituency in 2014 to Rabindra Kumar Jena of the BJD by a margin of over 100,000 votes.
In 2019, he was expelled from the Congress party for alleged anti-party activities. He had accused the party leadership of being biased and corrupt and had demanded a probe into the mining scam in Odisha. He had also criticized the party’s alliance with the Patnaik-led BJD in the state. He remained out of active politics for the next five years, until he rejoined the Congress party in 2024. He was welcomed by the Odisha Congress in-charge, Ajoy Kumar, and other senior leaders of the party. He expressed his gratitude and loyalty to the party and said that he would work for the revival and strengthening of the party in Odisha.
Net Worth and Income Sources
According to TopNeta.com, Srikant Jena’s net worth is estimated to be $ 05 Million as of 2022. His primary source of income comes from his business ventures, while his secondary source of income comes from his political career and other endorsements.
He owns properties and assets in New Delhi and Bhubaneswar, where he resides. He also has investments in various sectors, such as industry, tourism, chemicals, fertilizers, and statistics. He has been a minister of various portfolios at the central and the state level, which has also added to his income and wealth.
Height, Weight, and Physical Stats
| Height (approx.) | In Feet Inches: 5′ 6″. In Meters: 1.67 m. In Centimetres: 167 cm. |
| Weight (approx.) | In Kilograms: 65 kg. In Pounds: 121 lbs. |
| Hair Color | Black. |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown. |
Controversies
Srikant has faced several controversies and criticisms in his political career. Some of the major ones are:
- He has been accused of being involved in the mining scam in Odisha, which allegedly caused a loss of over ₹60,000 crore to the state exchequer. He has denied the allegations and demanded a probe into the matter.
- He has also been accused of misusing his official position and power to favour his relatives and associates. He has allegedly granted licenses and contracts to his family members and friends in the fields of industry, tourism, chemicals, and fertilizers.
- He has also been accused of violating the model code of conduct and the election laws during the elections. He has allegedly used money and muscle power to influence the voters and the election officials.
- He has also been accused of making derogatory and inflammatory remarks against his political opponents and rivals. He has allegedly insulted and abused the leaders of the BJP and the BJD, such as Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Naveen Patnaik, and Dharmendra Pradhan.
- He has also been accused of being disloyal and rebellious to his party and its leadership. He has allegedly defied the party’s decisions and directions and criticized the party’s policies and strategies. He has also challenged the authority and credibility of the party’s president and other senior leaders.
Return in INC March 2024
Srikant Jena has recently returned to the INC after being expelled from the party in January 2019 for alleged anti-party activities. He had accused the party leadership of being biased and corrupt and had demanded a probe into the mining scam in Odisha. He had also criticized the party’s alliance with the Patnaik-led BJD in the state. He had remained out of active politics for the next five years, until he rejoined the Congress party in March 2024.
He was welcomed by the Odisha Congress in-charge, Ajoy Kumar, and other senior leaders of the party. He expressed his gratitude and loyalty to the party and said that he would work for the revival and strengthening of the party in Odisha. He also said that he would join the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, to defeat the BJP and the BJD in the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Personal Life and Family
Jena is married and has two children. His wife’s name is not known publicly. His son, Abhishek Jena, is a software engineer and his daughter, Ananya Jena, is a doctor. He lives in New Delhi, the capital of India, where he owns a house.
He also has a house in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. He is active on social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, where he posts his views and opinions on various issues and interacts with his followers and supporters. He has over 10,000 followers on Twitter and over 5,000 likes on Facebook.
Achievements and Controversies
Srikant is regarded as one of the most experienced and influential politicians in Odisha. He has made significant contributions to the development and welfare of the state and the country. He has initiated and implemented various schemes and projects in the fields of industry, tourism, chemicals, fertilizers, statistics, and program implementation. He has also raised his voice for the rights and interests of the people of Odisha, especially the poor, the backward, the tribal, and the Dalit communities.
He has advocated for the reservation of seats for women and minorities in the parliament and the state legislatures. He has also demanded a special category status for Odisha and a greater share of the mineral resources of the state. However, he has also faced several controversies and criticisms in his political career. He has been accused of being involved in the mining scam in Odisha, which allegedly caused a loss of over ₹60,000 crore to the state exchequer.
He has also been accused of misusing his official position and power to favor his relatives and associates. He has also been accused of violating the model code of conduct and the election laws during the elections. He has also been accused of making derogatory and inflammatory remarks against his political opponents and rivals. He has also been accused of being disloyal and rebellious to his party and its leadership.
Srikant Jena is a prominent and seasoned politician who has a long and illustrious career in both the state and the national politics. He is a leader of the Congress party and a former minister of various portfolios. He is known for his outspoken views and his advocacy for the people of Odisha. He is also known for his controversies and criticisms.
He is currently trying to revive and strengthen his party in Odisha and regain his political relevance and influence. He is a person of interest and curiosity for many people who want to know more about him and his life.
