Naveen Patnaik, the leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has long maintained a distance from the Congress party while aligning closely with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Having come to power in Odisha by defeating Congress with the BJP’s support, Patnaik never forgot that history and remained staunchly anti-Congress. However, during the recent Nuapada by-election campaign, an unexpected shift occurred: Patnaik echoed the language of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
In his speech at a Nuapada rally, Patnaik repeated Gandhi’s national allegations of “vote theft,” leaving audiences surprised to hear such rhetoric from him. Political analysts point out that Congress was decisively rejected in Nuapada during the last elections, with the party’s president securing only 15,000 votes. In the Lok Sabha polls, Nuapada voters favored BJP over Congress and BJD by a margin of nearly 79,000 votes.
This adoption of Congress-style accusations did not resonate with Nuapada residents, who felt it eroded their trust in Patnaik and the BJD. As a result, voters withheld even a respectable share of votes from BJD, treating it on par with Congress and signalling a clear break in confidence.
Patnaik’s absence from the 11th-day memorial (ekadashi) ceremony for senior BJD leader, MLA, and former minister Rajendra Dholakia had raised eyebrows. Recovering from illness, Patnaik travelled to Delhi for rest but did not attend the shraddhanjali event in Nuapada. Instead, he sent a video message paying tribute from Delhi.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi attended the ceremony and offered his respects to the late Dholakia. Senior BJD leaders, including Debi Mishra and Pranab Prakash Das, were present, but the event was notably dominated by BJP leaders, with BJD figures appearing subdued and almost in the background. Although Dholakia was a BJD member, the prominent role of CM Majhi and BJP attendees stole the spotlight.
As BJD party president, Patnaik’s decision not to attend in person, coupled with the delayed sharing of his video message to the media (sent only the next day), fueled discussions. The first day’s media coverage highlighted Majhi’s attendance, portraying it as a cross-party gesture of respect. Since then, Dholakia’s family has grown closer to BJP, and many of his supporters have shifted allegiance toward the party.
This series of events underscores shifting political dynamics in Odisha, where Patnaik’s strategies appear to be facing increasing scrutiny from voters and allies alike.
