Odisha: BJP Caused Patnaik Debacle Focusing On Health, Graft And Pandian Being A Tamilian

BHUBANESWAR, (IANS) – The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has suffered the first poll defeat since its formation after splitting away from the erstwhile Janata Dal in 1997. The party remained invincible for over two decades after coming to power riding on the popularity of Biju Patnaik in the 2000 Assembly elections.

The party’s popularity can be gauged from the fact that BJD’s vote share in this election was 40.22 percent which is higher than the vote share of BJP which stood at 40.07 percent.

BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ruled the state for 24 years earning the honor of the second longest-serving Chief Minister in India. However, the party’s former alliance partner, the BJP, has put a break to its winning streak with a thumping win in the 2024 Assembly elections.

A strong anti-incumbency against the BJD is the most important factor behind the party’s poll debacle.

As per political observers, among other major factors that led to the defeat of the ruling BJD in the state include an aggressive campaign by the BJP against Tamil Nadu-born BJD leader V.K. Pandian and the health condition of 77-year-old Patnaik.

After the alliance talks failed to materialize, the BJP immediately resorted to an aggressive campaign with the party heavyweights from across the country making a beeline to the state. The campaign was led by Modi who launched scathing attacks on the BJD government on various issues.

The party accused Pandian of ruling the state as a proxy by holding a frail CM Patnaik hostage. Stunningly, it also used the fact that Pandian is Tamil Nadu born as if to state that no Indian can join a government freely in another state.

Modi and the BJP claimed Pandian would take over the reins of the party as well as the government after winning elections in 2024, and that was a threat to the

culture, language, literature, of Odisha.

The BJP also raised other issues such as the “mismanagement” in Shree Jagannath Temple — the “missing keys” of Ratna Bhandar (treasure of the 12th-century shrine), and migration of laborers to other states played a major role in the defeat of an “invincible” BJD.

Another factor that led to BJD’s defeat was the failure on the part of the party to create a strong and able second rung of leadership.