Forty four years, two months and two days after its formation, on June 4, 2024, the BJP finally realized its dream of coming to power on its own in Odisha. And, it did with aplomb - demolishing the giant BJD and dethroning a colossus like Naveen Patnaik.
For BJP it was pay back time on Naveen who had unilaterally broken off the alliance with the saffron party in 2009. It had to wait for 15 years since to win back public trust. The result was worth the wait.
Once described as a ‘signboard’ party by former chief minister late Biju Patnaik, the BJP proved time takes time, but it changes. The saffron party won 78 seats in a House of 147, six higher than the simple majority mark of 72 and 55 over its tally of 23 in 2019 elections while decimating BJD by winning 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats. That the regional party did not open its account was another big humiliation inflicted by the BJP.
Odisha, more importantly, became the saviour for the BJP at the national-level by contributing the maximum as the party won only 240 Lok Sabha seats against its 400 plus target and made it possible for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term at the Centre.
What makes BJP’s victory even bigger is the fact that it went into the elections without a chief ministerial face. On the other side, there was a time-tested and hugely popular Naveen Patnaik ruling the state for five consecutive terms. The fight was among unequals.
Some political pundits claim that it was not a BJP victory but a vote against the BJD. Whatsoever, the credit has to go to the BJP for reading the voter sentiment early and heeding its state leaders, particularly state president Manmohan Samal’s forceful opposition to any pre-poll alliance with BJD.
The party leadership then crafted an election strategy around Naveen’s now proven Achilles heel, VK Pandian, by making ‘Odia Asmita’ an emotive campaign issue. With a flurry of poll promises from cash dole out to women, raising MSP for farmers to reopening of Ratna Bhandar, the BJP led by PM Modi, all senior central leaders and party’s state chief ministers launched a well-orchestrated campaign, delivering the spectacular result.
At the moment of triumph, the BJP leadership pulled out yet another surprise by selecting Mohan Charan Majhi, a four-time MLA from Keonjhar’s dominant Santali tribe with a Hindutva face to become the first chief minister of the party in the state. Starting his political journey from a sarpanch of his native village Raikala in the 1990s, Majhi had a clean image along with that of a crusader against corruption and mining mafia.
While his choice over many party veterans and a cabinet filled with newbies raised many eyebrows, nearly six months after taking the helm, Majhi has showed signs that he is up to the task. All the major poll promises of the state BJP - from opening of the four doors of Srimandir, reopening of Ratna Bhandar, launch of Subhadra Yojana which entails providing Rs 50,000 to over one crore women over a period of five years to implementing the hiked MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy - have been fulfilled.
Majhi, who holds the Finance portfolio, also delivered a positive budget with an outlay of Rs 2.65 lakh crore, announcing 19 new schemes across agriculture, health, education, industries, housing, drinking water, etc. He has also made a conscious effort to project the image of a ‘People’s CM’ by reviving the public grievance hearing and also holding direct interaction with the masses at different occasions. Lunching and dining at people’s houses during tours has become a distinguishing feature of his chief ministership.
As the New Year dawns, Majhi and the BJP have their task cut out -that of living up to people’s expectations and consolidating their position politically. January in itself is of great importance for the state as it hosts two flagship programmes - Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Utkash Odisha investors’ conclave back-to-back. Their success will give an impetus to Majhi and his government.