Will Patnaik’s Rallying Call Lead to First-Ever BJD-BJP Showdown in Parliament?

After almost 25 years of political honeymoon in Parliament, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced recently that his party had decided not to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Rajya Sabha anymore.

The decision was taken in the meeting of BJD’s parliamentary party meeting chaired by Patnaik.

BJD has nine Rajya Sabha members at the moment. Whereas in the 18th Lok Sabha, it has none.

Since 2000, the BJD has been supporting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Parliament in Lok Sabha as well as in Rajya Sabha on various issues of importance.

Although both the parties had an alliance government for nine years (from 2000 to 2009) in Odisha, but after the alliance broke in 2009, the BJD continued its implicit rapport and support for the NDA in both Houses.

 However, the homilies underwent a trying phase when BJP rejected a purported pre-poll alliance with BJD and announced that it would fight the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its own.

However, the outcomes of the 2024 elections proved to be an unprecedented debacle for Patnaik and his party, landing a nasty blow on the face of BJD that has virtually suffered a political decimation after 25 years of unchallenged reign in Odisha.

Now, with the ‘war cry’ sounded by Patnaik, more belligerence is likely to surface between the two erstwhile allies that were basking under an unwritten treaty of mutual cheering for each other for years.

Patnaik has, in fact, been enjoying a cordial relationship with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance as well as NDA throughout its rule in Odisha from 2000.

The BJD supremo, who seemingly loves to remain in the comfort zone of power, is for the first time going down to the field where he may face some headwinds of discomfort from BJP in particular.

Although Patnaik has already stated that the interests of Odisha are a priority for BJD and if the NDA tries to neglect the issues related to the state in this changed scenario, the BJD will not remain a mute onlooker.

“Cornered from all sides after 2024, with limited leverage in the Assembly and in Parliament, Patnaik has no option than being vocal against BJP to keep the morale of the party (BJD) up, else a wrong message can go among the BJD cadre that may further weaken the party”, said political analyst Rabi Das.

Recently, after being elected as the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Patnaik once again decided to become a rallying point, at least among his followers.  

On the other side, the new Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, who is in a public relations drive, has slowly started getting into the area of administration taking stock of the situation but so far has not done much.

“He (Majhi) has to wake up from the formal exercises and photo-ops with people and others and draw a roadmap as to how his government plans to address the fundamental issues that concern the people of the state” Das added.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Odisha.