The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is currently grappling with a severe internal crisis that has left the party in disarray, with uncertainty surrounding decision-making processes. Party sources claim the ongoing padayatra (foot march) is merely a struggle to preserve the BJD’s existence, as members march without clear demands or objectives.
Traditionally, BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would inaugurate such events by waving the party flag. However, his absence today has raised eyebrows, leaving party workers searching for their leader. The padayatra is proceeding without prominent figures at the helm.
The BJD launched its ‘Seva, Swabhiman o Sangram Padayatra’ (Service, Pride, and Struggle Foot March) today at Suando, the birthplace of Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das. Yet, critics question what real service the BJD has rendered to Odisha over the past 24 years. Under BJD governance, the state topped national charts in unemployment, crime rates, and child and maternal mortality. Recent NCRB reports have exposed alarming levels of violence and atrocities against women during their rule. Farmers’ minimal incomes reflect the neglect, and the party’s supremo failed even to learn the Odia language in 25 years—making claims of upholding Odia pride seem laughable.
The BJD has been accused of disrespecting Odisha’s icons. It shut down the ‘Gopabandhu Gramin Rojgar Yojana,’ a rural employment scheme named after Pandit Gopabandhu Das. The party allegedly views only Biju Patnaik—the namesake of the BJD—as a true great leader, naming all schemes and memorials after him while sidelining other luminaries. This, critics say, has led to public backlash and the BJD’s electoral defeat.
During its tenure, the BJD is said to have done little for women and sisters of Odisha, cheated farmers with unfulfilled promises of a Rs 100 bonus, and failed to provide educational reservations for backward classes.
In contrast, since forming the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has rolled out initiatives like the Subhadra Yojana for women’s empowerment and Rs 800 input assistance per farmer. This year, a record amount of paddy has been procured from farmers. Additionally, pensions for the elderly, widows, and the disabled have been increased, marking early successes of the BJP administration.
State BJP media coordinator Sujit Kumar Das suggested that instead of aimless marches, the BJD should use its padayatra to educate the public about the BJP’s developmental schemes. “The BJD’s padayatra is running leaderless, and they should inform people about our government’s achievements,” Das stated.
As the BJD fights for relevance, the BJP continues to highlight its governance contrasts, positioning itself as the harbinger of real progress in Odisha.
