Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. | Photo Credit: ANI
After being in power in Odisha for almost a quarter of a century, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) not only lost the Assembly elections to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in the state. BJD’s worst performance since its inception can be attributed to several factors. More than BJP’s winning strategy, BJD’s defeat has more to do with the way it has functioned as a political party in recent years.
First, bureaucratic hubris was the main reason why the BJD was not acceptable among the voters. The party functions more as a corporate entity, with bureaucrats seen as senior managers. The role of elected BJD representatives has become redundant, with district administrators considered more powerful than local leaders. Government feedback mechanisms also depend on local officials. This hampered the popularity of BJD leaders as they depended on the mercy of the administrators.
In the rural belt, an extraordinary increase in the grievances felt by citizens on governance issues, as a result of administrative ineffectiveness, gives way to conversation (change) the narrative. The daily life of people in this belt is greatly affected by the functioning of local block offices and police stations. Despite the introduction of pro-people initiatives, this local grievance redressal center is considered a corruption center, a clear departure from the BJD’s intentions in the early years.
Second, the failure of the organization further expands the predicate of BJD. The absence of a mechanism to deal with internal party conflicts and to accommodate the growing number of candidates led many BJD loyalists to switch sides at the last moment. In many areas, disgruntled cadres are waiting for the right time to lecture the party, on issues such as the election of wrong candidates and long-standing demands. The top leadership, however, is not complacent, relying heavily on the popularity of party leader Naveen Patnaik to make sense of the ongoing tension. The party’s organizational secretary who is vying for a new Lok Sabha seat against the Union Education Minister, left his home district, a BJD stronghold, a symbol of BJD’s electoral woes. The party not only lost its seats, but also fell from one of its strongholds.
Furthermore, organizationally, dependence on the bureaucratic structure is such that when the Election Commission takes action against some important officials, it interferes with the functioning of the party. The overt centralization of the party also prevents local leaders from opposing tactics without permission from the top.
The BJD operates on the assumption that voters’ memories are short-lived. This approach seems to have an impact on ticket distribution strategies and the announcement of populist schemes. The party chose to include many of its leaders or their relatives, assuming that voters had forgotten their past transgressions. Also, the party was the last to release its manifesto. Some popular promises – such as free electricity or pensions for members of self-help groups – do not deliver well. While in government, it also waited until the end (implementation of the model code of conduct) to announce some popular measures.
Thirdly, the ideological collapse of the BJD seems to have done more damage than good to the party. The party severed its official alliance with the BJP in 2009, citing its secular stance, but has supported almost all bills brought by the BJP-led government in subsequent years. The fact that Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was nominated in the Upper House by the BJD speaks volumes about the confused attitude of the party. The minister returned to Odisha to campaign against the BJD, just months after his nomination. Many voters are confused by the strange game BJP and BJD are playing. BJD cadres are not strongly motivated to fight BJP on the ground.
BJD, which prided itself on winning consecutive elections, has failed this time. However, Mr. Patnaik’s popularity remained intact. If it is revived, its most important objective is to make itself a strong political opponent of the BJP.
Subhankar Nayak is a policy researcher. X: @subhankarnayak
