But just when he thought he had the bull by the horns, Patra made a slip of the tongue and found he's holding the Puri tiger by the tail. The man who has been earning his bread and butter with his tongue couldn’t have lost his tongue at a worse time. Besides, a spokesperson with a case of slip of the tongue is no spokesperson worth his blabbering loudmouth.

Patra tongue-tied is safer to himself. Otherwise, journos will stop asking him questions not trusting what he will throw at them. Patra will not be taken seriously. No wonder Sambit Patra is willingly embracing the slip of the tongue excuse to hide behind. Calling Lord Jagannath a “Modi bhakta" is beyond repair and deep offence.

Where can Sambit Patra run to now? Patra is facing political heat from all four directions. Patra is also asking for forgiveness for the offending tongue and has gone on a “four day upvas”, meaning he will lose a couple of 100 grams from his middle and that will be redemption. The question is, will Sambit Patra’s choice of purgative pass the test? Will voters of Puri take his apology for honest admission that he slipped on his tongue?

Claiming a "slip of the tongue", Patra said he “mixed up” God with Modi, not mentioning that it’s the done thing in the BJP. Sambit Patra did not need to mix-up Modi with God to lose the 2019 elections from the same Puri seat. Then, there was no Modi to spoil the show for Patra. This time there was a Modi roadshow with Sambit Patra tied to the rath thinking he was riding a Modi wave and Modi insisting that on June 10, Odisha will have a BJP Chief Minister and Naveen Patnaik and VK Pandian will be biting Bhubaneswar dust.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has no idea of ‘Odisha and Odia’ and that he is fighting with his back to the wall. Also Patnaik’s ‘Man Friday’ VK Pandian is an outsider to whom people of Odisha shouldn’t give away their state to. But Patra’s slip of tongue has given Naveen Patnaik the chance to hit back. Patra’s “Lord Jagannath is Modi’s bhakt” could cost Patra victory – a case of divine retribution?

Patra’s Crime: “Lord Jagannath is Modi’s bhakt, and we all are members of Modi’s family. I can’t control my emotions after witnessing such incredible moments. I feel it’s a special day for all Odias.” Poor Patra’s rich imagination. "Please forgive him Lord, Patra was only hallucinating — a slip of his tongue.”

Sambit Patra cannot even curse his tongue. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi is as silent as a snail. Slow, too. Not Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, however. “Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of a human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world.,” Patnaik slammed Patra. “The Lord is the greatest symbol of Odia asmita (pride). Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is totally condemnable.”

Patnaik asked the BJP to keep the “Lord above any political discourse.” Patra reacted but Patra's God, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did not. Not one word out of the man who breathed life into Lord Ram and is on record that he is the “Chosen One” sent by God Almighty to Earth to serve “Ma Bharti” and guide Hindus to a life of peace, plenty and enduring prosperity.

Apology doesn’t come easy to Narendra Modi and he wouldn’t find nothing amiss if there are more Patras afflicted with a slip of the tongue. “Odia asmita” is at the heart of the BJP’s election campaign in Odisha and Patra and Modi have been advertising this theme as the BJP’s poll plank with all the powers they could summon when Patra broke the spell with a slip of his renowned tongue and compared God with Modi.

Sambit Patra is “Some Bit Player” thrust into the limelight because of his silver tongue which he employs day in and day out debating with spokespersons of rival political parties in TV debate after TV debate, most of them devolving into chaos because Patra is a stout defender of the BJP. Patra always usually gets away with libel and his debates with the indomitable “Gaali Waali Aunty'' have won him accolades galore in the rightwing domain.

Slip of the tongue was the last thing Patra worried about. But whoever knew Lord Jagannath would be keeping a gimlet eye on Sambit Patra and Patra would go down the slippery slope of the slip of tongue one time too many for his own tongue’s good and it will be the last time he will get his twisted tongue in a most awful twist. Sambit Patra will keep a wary eye on Lord Jagannath till June 4, and hold his glib tongue, too. (IPA Service)