It is often believed that ‘ history is written by the victors, and the historians just re-write it’. A History seems in the making as the chief minister of Odisha, a victor is aiming at a record sixth term in 2024, riding on the crest of an unbeatable 25 years journey of the BJD.

It is like yesterday that years have passed and today the most enviable regional political outfit Biju Janata Dal, completed an action-packed 25 years. The course was not free of the stifling undulations which the charismatic leader Naveen Patnaik had negotiated through. Emerging from the backdrop of an author and scholar in history, Naveen Patnaik as paratroop in Odisha to join the dots which his legendary father left behind.

The BJD under him took birth in 1977 and since then cruised ahead and never looked back. Tas was enormous and he realized a load of trust the people reposed on him. While walking on the footprints of his legendary father, at the same time he, in his self-reliant pursuit tried to re-script his own part as well.

Legacy Well Maintained  

It was not merely preserving the legacy of Biju babu but he worked hard at making a legacy of himself. And, perhaps, he proved that with many resounding successes.

 It was not only politics that he wanted to mature in politics but he reinvented his forte steering himself into the larger mass like his late father. And what he was most happy about, he is with the people of Odisha and which he still carries on.

Where he is different from his father was, the latter had a spontaneity to retort back at his enemies. Whereas, Naveen does not do that but it is quietness coupled with a delivery he used to shoot back at his critics.  

Naveen Patnaik then had a job ahead and an arduous one. Hardly had he had the inkling that in ruling Odisha, he had to rewrite history and prepare for an aura in Odisha and Indian politics, to match up to his great father. Contrary to several critiques, and eyebrow raisings, soon he became a rallying point in politics. His pro-people agendas were what, perhaps, people of Odisha were looking up ahead as a healing balm.

Many Firsts In India

While pioneering his steps against the deadly pandemic two years back, he was a cut above the rest states controlling the positivity rates in Odisha.

He not only did that, in a step forward first in the country, he brought the journalists under a health security through insurance and above all, making an allocation of compensation of Rs 15 lacs for scribes who died in Covid.

The Truck Ended  

The stint of alliance with the BJP from 2000 to 2009 suffered a setback post the communal disquiets in Kandhamal. Then each went their own ways to re-establish their moorings.  Yet, Naveen Patnaik reigned over the political scenario and the BJP suffered a setback in the number game. From 36 legislators in 2004, it crashed down to just 6 members in the House.  The critics described how the BJP had a piggyback ride on the BJD from the day of the alliance.

In subsequent phases, Naveen-led BJD and the leader himself could succeed to have his fingers on the pulses of the people of Odisha authoritatively to say to the posterity that he occupies his place among them not by the arithmetic but by his empathy for them.

That doesn’t mean he was without any obstacles or any contrarian view emerging from within the party when a few members, those who had been flourishing under his aura, deserted him midway, pouring out vitriolic in the public domain. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD under Naveen had a tryst with yet another headwind and that too from none other than the NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But a composed Naveen Patnaik demonstrated his doggedness and political dexterity taking on the entire challenge alone with a stoic poise and remerged on the political horizon of the state. Seems to be a quiet visionary he never stops regenerating his actions and obviously does not like to stop at any single milestone.  

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