Riding on a strong anti-incumbency factor against the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government and the Narendra Modi wave, the BJP created history in Odisha on June 4, as the party finally managed to breach the impenetrable fortress of the BJD. After winning 78 seats in the 147-member state Assembly, the BJP is set to form the government in Odisha alone for the first time. The BJD finished with 51 seats while the Congress could manage just 14 seats in the Assembly polls held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections in four phases between May 13 and June 1. Notably, the BJP in coalition with the BJD had formed the government in Odisha in 2000 and 2004. However, this time the party has single-handedly ended the 24-year reign of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has suffered the first poll defeat since its formation after splitting away from the erstwhile Janata Dal in 1997. The party remained invincible for over two decades after coming to power riding on the popularity of Biju Patnaik in the 2000 Assembly elections. The party’s popularity can be gauged from the fact that BJD’s vote share in this election was 40.22 per cent which is higher than the vote share of BJP which stood at 40.07 per cent. BJD President Naveen Patnaik ruled the state for 24 years earning the honour of the second longest-serving Chief Minister in India. However, the BJP has put a break to its winning streak with a thumping win in the 2024 Assembly elections.
A strong anti-incumbency against the BJD is the most important factor behind the party’s poll debacle. Other major factors that led to the defeat of the ruling BJD in the state include an aggressive campaign by the BJP over Odia Asmita (Odia self-identity), Non-Odia successor to Patnaik, in a reference to Tamil Nadu-born BJD leader V K Pandian. BJP accused Pandian of ruling the state as a proxy by holding a frail Patnaik hostage. The party also raised the issue that Pandian, a former bureaucrat, would take over the reins of the party as well as the government after winning elections in 2024, which is a threat to the self-identity and pride of Odisha.
The poll results suggest that the BJP has succeeded in convincing the voters regarding the probable takeover of the government in Odisha by non-Odia Pandian and the alleged threat to Odia Asmita, Odia culture, language and literature. The BJP also raised other issues such as the “mismanagement” in Shree Jagannath Temple — the “missing keys” of Ratna Bhandar (treasure of the 12th-century shrine), and migration of labourers to other states played a major role in the defeat of an “invincible” BJD. Another factor that led to BJD’s defeat was the failure on the part of the party to create a strong and able second-rung of leadership.
