In a dramatic twist ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha, the political landscape is witnessing a game of musical chairs as leaders switch allegiances, with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) strategically nominating a staggering 30 per cent turncoats as candidates.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's party has pulled off a masterstroke by fielding at least seven former BJP or Congress leaders out of the 20 candidates announced for the 21 Lok Sabha seats. These political chameleons, now donning the BJD colors, include Surendra Singh Bhoi (Bolangir), Parineeta Mishra (Bargarh), Bhrugu Baxipatra (Berhampur), Manmath Routray (Bhubaneswar), Ansuman Mohanty (Kendrapara), Pradeep Majhi (Nabarangpur), and Dhanurjay Sidhu (Keonjhar).
In a stunning move, Patnaik overlooked senior leaders vying for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, instead opting for Manmath Routray, a commercial pilot and son of six-time Congress MLA Suresh Routray. Routray's induction into the BJD was swiftly followed by a party ticket, all within a matter of hours.
The BJD's sitting MP from Berhampur, Chandrasekhar Sahu, found himself sidelined as the party elevated him to the post of vice-president and manifesto committee chairperson, making way for the newly-inducted Bhrgu Baxipatra. Baxipatra, a former BJP vice-president and party loyalist for 23 years, will now go head-to-head with Pradeep Panigrahy, a former close aide of Patnaik who was expelled from the BJD in November 2020.
The story of Parineeta Mishra and her husband Sushat is equally intriguing. The couple resigned from the BJP on a Wednesday afternoon, joined the BJD, and by evening, Parineeta had secured Patnaik's nomination.
In Balangir, the BJD has fielded Surendra Singh Bhoi, a three-time Congress MLA and former minister who joined the party on March 29 and secured a ticket just five days later. Similarly, ex-Congress MLA Anshuman Mohanty and former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi, who joined the BJD ahead of the 2022 panchayat polls, have been given tickets from Kendrapara and Nabarangpur, respectively.
The BJP, not to be outdone, has also welcomed three former BJD leaders into its fold and fielded them as candidates: Bhatruhari Mahtab (Cuttack), Pradeep Panigrahy (Berhampur), and Malavika Keshari Deo (Kalahandi). Malavika Keshari Deo, wife of former MP Arka Keshari Deo and a member of the Kalahandi royal family, quit the BJD along with her husband after being denied tickets in 2019 and joined the BJP in 2023.
As the election fever grips Odisha, the political chessboard is witnessing a flurry of moves, with leaders jumping ship and parties strategically placing their pawns. The outcome of this high-stakes game will be decided by the voters, who will have the final say in this enthralling political saga.