Odisha: Is Naveen Patnaik Back-Pedalling to Future?

There is no denying that the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is in a visible turmoil after a few recent developments.

Some of Patnaik’s loyalists are now becoming vocal in their criticism and ambitions. Debasish Samantaray, BJD Rajya Sabha member from Cuttack, recently joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The latter’s decision although has not created a big buzz as such, because as an erstwhile BJD loyalist, Samantaray had at a recent press conference hinted at “many disgruntled souls” within the party who now refuse to be “ruled by a non-Odia” (V K Pandian), nor are they ready to sit like lame ducks within for long.

“All the BJD loyalists must come together and repose their faith once again on Naveen Patnaik as the only leader and none else masquerading like his most empowered lieutenant in the war room” Samantaray had said, adding “I still have tremendous respect and love for Naveen Patnaik and he is a good man and we still love him.”

Pandering to Pandian?

But, Patnaik’s seemingly over-pandering of former IAS-turned-BJD leader V K Pandian has always remained a raw nerve for many in the BJD. But their apprehensions remained within the confines of anonymity.

However, Samantaray has come out strongly to become the voice for those disgruntled within the BJD.       

“Perhaps, for the first time ever, since the bureaucrat-turned-BJD leader, V K Pandian(VKP) remained the man next to Patnaik, Samantaray dared VKP directly after joining BJP. He said this was the right time for Naveen for a course correction and placate the “ruffled feathers of real BJD members by keeping Pandian entirely out of party matters”.    

Pandian has reportedly made an unannounced return to BJD despite his post-2024 election announcement to take ‘sanyas’ from politics. This has sent jitters within the BJD.

Many BJD leaders have been defecting to BJP, and internal rifts have been witnessed with MLAs defying party whips and subsequently facing suspension. 

Steering through the 24-year continuous rule to the Opposition benches now, has resulted in policy confusion and a lingering leadership uncertainty regarding Patnaik’s succession plan.

It may be recalled that Samantaray and few others were sidelined by the BJD leadership, especially, after the Wakf Amendment Bill voting in Parliament, in which Samantaray and Munna Khan, also a BJD Rajya Sabha MP, had voted against the Bill along with some others.

The rising angst in BJP against Pandian is quite evident.

“When a few BJD founding members were made to feel irrelevant on many matters, the ember of angst was visible. Leaders such as Prafulla Ghadai, Prasanna Acharya, Debi Prasad Mishra, A U Singh Deo, Braja Kishore Tripathy, almost all founding members, felt cornered, discontent brewed within the party. Matters became worse when they failed to even meet Patnaik, let alone talk to him” said Rabi Das, a senior political analyst.

“If chatter in political circles is anything to go by then Pandian enjoys the goodwill of BJP at the central level and that of Patnaik in person. Hence, he enjoys the best of both worlds”, said Das, adding that the “BJD is diminishing and that is quite discernible”.

Samantaray, who represented undivided Cuttack as BJD MP, claims to have the following of about 24 corporators, and now, after joining the BJP, seems more enthusiastic about the 2027 civic polls that are being seen as a litmus test before the 2029 general elections.

A general impression is that Naveen Patnaik is refusing to realise that handing over the reins to an ‘outsider’ may be his personal or political compulsion, but seniors in the party hold a grudge against this.  

“Naveenji must make it clear that if he can keep Pandian away from party matters to reaffirm his hold in the party and if he still chooses to ride piggyback on the ex-bureaucrat and allow the party to dither despite heavy dissent, then BJD should be prepared for a gradual disintegration”, Samantaray warned.

“Even a swashbuckler like Ranendra Pratap Swain, a former minister in the Patnaik cabinet had dropped hints about his annoyance at how the party is being run by proxy by one man much to the disgust of many,” a party insider confided.

In the recent past, Swain had exhibited his displeasure over the way the health-related issues of Naveen Patnaik were being kept under wraps by the Pandian couple. For this, Swain faced a rap on the knuckles but swallowed the insult somehow.

But Swain’s self-restraint should never be read as subservience. On many occasions, he has glorified late Biju Babu (Naveen’s legendary father Biju Patnaik) as the spirit of Odia pride, not mentioning Naveen Patnaik even once. 

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Odisha with over 40 years’ experience in the profession.