BJD to get ‘subsumed’ in the BJP in Odisha?

Many leaders in BJD have been giving explosive statements while pointing out critical reasons behind the party’s debacle in the 2024 General Elections. However, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik’s strategy to resurrect the party is not yet clear for which resentment is brewing among the party leaders.

In a recent development, senior BJD leaders Padmanabha Behera and Nrusingha Sahu have termed several factors responsible for the party’s poor show in the last elections.

According to former Minister Behera, as many as four factors- candidates, party and party president, party workers and funding are responsible for BJD’s poll debacle. 

However, BJD had no dearth of funding and leaders. Hence questions have been raised whether it was due to the selection of the wrong candidates or resentment among the party workers for which BJD had to suffer a humiliating defeat?

“Had Naveen Babu attended more election campaigns, it would have been better for the party. BJP’s election manifesto attracted people more than BJD’s election manifesto,” said Behera.

Meanwhile, drawing a comparison between Naveen Patnaik and former 5T Secretary VK Pandian, senior BJD leader Nrusingha Sahu said that there is a huge difference between both. 

“Naveen has great stature and he is very popular among the people. Had Naveen campaigned for the BJD, the result would have been good. BJD would have formed government,” said Sahu.

With several senior leaders giving candid statements post the poll debacle, the inner squabble within BJD seems to have intensified. However, party supremo Naveen Patnaik still seems to have been reviewing the situation.

On the other hand, the ruling BJP has predicted that BJD will collapse soon. After senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra’s prediction in this regard, Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Naik even went one step forward to predict that the Opposition party will get subsumed in the BJP after its disintegration.

“It is very clear that BJD will not last more and it will eventually collapse. BJD will not merge with Congress but with BJP,” said Naik.

However, in response, BJD refuted such predictions by saying that the party is still very popular in Odisha.

“It is not wise to judge about who went where. It is an individual preference. Resentment is found everywhere. The people of Odisha are still with BJD and Naveen Patnaik. I don’t have to say anything if some people are giving statements to make them happy. Time is most powerful,” said BJD leader Sarada Nayak.

On the other hand, political experts termed party supremo Naveen Patnaik responsible for this kind of situation of the party.

“Ideological death is pulling BJD towards destruction. BJD is collapsing under its own weight,” said senior journalist Akshay Sahoo.