It was the blustering political gale that the five term old Biju Janata Dal (BJD) failed to fathom. Overconfidence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's popularity to win for a whopping sixth time the BJD was badly defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 elections. As the counting commenced on June 4, BJP emerged as the clear winner. Saffron sway gripped Odisha with BJP winning 78 of the 147 assembly and 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats . BJD not only lost power but ended up with a nil representation in the Lok Sabha with Congress wining the lone Koraput seat. The BJP victory was stunning . It formed the government in Odisha for the first time since the formation of the party in 6th April, 1980. As the BJP government headed by Mohan Charan Majh, Odisha's 15th chief Minister, took oath of office along with 15 other ministers, it marked the curtains for BJD rule in the state. Majhi predecessor Naveen Patnaik had an eventful political career. His 24-year tenure, from March 5,2000,to June 12,2024, is the second longest for any Indian state's chief Minister, following Pawan Kumar Chamling of Sikkim.
The countdown to elections had been tough for Odisha BJP. The offer of a pre-poll alliance brought forward by BJD was tempting for many of BJP's state and central leaders. However, state president Manmohan Samal was opposed to it and favoured BJP must make it alone. Somehow he managed to convince the all powerful central leaders of an impending BJP win. And BJP won In Odisha proving Samal correct. " I was sure people would never accept Naveen's protégée V. Kartikeyan Pandian as his successor and prefer son of soil BJP leadership", Samal told Uday India.
Now more about Pandian and why the public sentiment was against him triggering BJD's defeat this elections. Originally from Tamil Nadu, Pandian is a 2000 batch Odisha Cadre IAS officer. After working in several districts, it was while he posted as the collector of Ganjam district , he could able to draw the attention of the chief Minister Naveen Patnaik --whose constituency Hinjili forms part of the district. Later in 2011 Pandian was posted in CMO (chief Minister' office) as Private Secretary to Patnaik. Gradually he made his way up becoming CM's most trusted officer. Pandian turned more powerful when Naveen Patnaik, post 2019 elections, appointed him as the secretary of newly formed 5T (Team work, Technology, Transparency , Transformation, Timeline) department . In a way it was Pandian's first foray to real politicking as all the departments also brought under the all powerful 5T. Thus Pandian had total control of the bureaucracy by posting civil servants loyal to him in key departments and pushing ministers to perennial irrelevance . It was around this time he started controlling the BJD party apparatus too. As the Covid pandemic broke Patnailk preferred to stay indoors and none except Pandian was allowed to meet him. BJD insiders said even phone calls were monitored by CMO. By 2022 resentment of BJD ministers grew but none could dare to criticize Pandian openly as Patnaik backed him to the hilt. But opposition did. BJP openly accused Patnaik for handing over the state to a coterie of Tamil Officers led by Pandian. " It was an affront to Odia Asmita (Odia Pride)" said Samal. And thus of all the issues "Odia Asmita" became the main poll plank of BJP. Meanwhile, following mounting criticism Pandian left his job and joined BJD but continue to maintain his grip over party and administration as the chief of 5T department now laced with a cabinet rank. Pandian became more ambitious started addressing poll campaigns mostly alone and minimally with Patnaik. Of the official list of forty poll campaigners submitted by BJD, it was Pandian alone who campaigned in the majority of the constituencies leaving a small number of seats for Patnaik's road shows or speak to people from an insulated luxury van.
Compared to rival BJD, the BJP had a full blast campaign with poll meetings addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and array of party stalwarts including chief ministers of various BJP ruled states. All harping on the primary issue of "Odia Asmita" and many failures of Naveen led BJD government. BJP's strategy worked as people were angry over Pandian's through dominance of BJD. They almost believed Pandian has made Patnaik a "caged Bird" . Desperate for some damage control on the eve of the fourth and last phase of the poll Naveen Patnaik issued a statement that Pandian isn't going to be his successor. "It’s the people of Odisha who will decide my successor" Patnaik assured. But then his words came very late that failed to impress people. They defeated BJD, restricting the party to 51 seats paving the way for a new political chapter in Odisha. BJD's defeat has more to do with Pandian's power crazy arrogance, Patnaik's complacency and isolation of party's rank and file. No wonder party's young Turks made their entry to well protected "Sankh Bhavan" (BJD's headquaters) and shouted slogans against Pandian making him responsible for everything that went against the party. However, Patnaik never blamed Pandian describing him as a "good and efficient officer". Later Pandian announced that he was retiring from Politics. But in Odisha few believed his words.
To recap , the most glaring reasons for BJD's defeat are: Pro Modi wave, Odia Asmita provoked by sheer arrogance and allegations misrule against Pandian, anti-incumbency against BJD's five term rule.
However, BJP's victory was not bereft of high drama either. The new government's swearing in ceremony was slated for 10 June. However, it was suddenly postponed to 12. The party's freshly elected MLAs, many of them for the first time, demanded that the leader must be chosen from among them fearing that the party's high command may try to impose someone else from above. Since BJP is much faction ridden in Odisha complete chaos prevailed till 11 June, the day the central observers --- Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Bhupinder Yadav arrived in Bhubaneswar. Finally the name of the tribal leader and lawmaker from Keonjhar assembly constituency - Mohan Charan Majhi - was announced as chief of the legislature party . The name of party president Manmohan samal was not considered as he had lost election from Chandbali constituency. But the story did not end there. The observers said Majhi as chief Minister would have two deputies as well. Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo and debutant MLA from Nimapara, Pravati Parida. Both were made two deputy chief ministers. Till the afternoon of next day there was feverish lobbying for a ministerial berth. As the sun-set in state Capital Bhubaneswar a 16 member council ministers (including CM Majhi) took oath at Janata Maidan in the presence Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with host of senior central leaders and chief ministers of various BJP ruled state.
Post the swearing in ceremony, the first cabinet meeting without portfolios was held in Lok Seva Bhavan (formerly the state secretariat). For the first time after four years Journalists were allowed entry to Lok Sabha Bhavan the same evening - banned by the previous BJD regime.
Next morning Majhi, along with his council of ministers visited Shree Jagannath Mandir at Puri announcing opening of all four entry points of the holy Hindu shrine which the BJD government had restricted for almost four years.
Despite popular gestures from Majhi, he was criticized for delay in portfolio distribution that is normally announced after few hours of swearing in ceremony . The list was announced on Saturday (15 June) with chief minister retaining all the crucial portfolios like Home, Finance, General Administration and Information and public relations (I&PR). Both the deputy CMs too had multiple departments. With the chief minister loaded with so many important departments how is he going to find time to dispense justice to peoples' expectations? State BJP sources say that the streamlining of the portfolios might take place with the induction of more ministers.
Its going to be tough for Majhi led government to rein in the Bureaucracy who virtually ran the previous BJD governments. Accustomed to power ignoring the ministers, the BJP government must have strength to curtail their grip over political power. it is yet to be seen how Majhi sanitizes the administration and make it people friendly.
By Pratap Mohanty
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
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