Pattachitra – one of the ancient artworks of Odisha
Odisha Panchayat Polls
By Debi Mohanty*
Naveen’s BJD steamrolls opposition
There is something unique about the Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal: it’s not lost any election since its electoral debut in 2000. Despite Naveen’s immense popularity, his government’s pro-people initiatives and the party’s well-oiled grassroots level organizational strength, the BJD has fought each poll including Panchayat elections with equal enthusiasm.
The result- while it has continued its enviable winning streak, opponents, primarily the principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has failed miserably. The outcome of the recently held panchayat polls is no different. The last phase of polling was on February 24, 2022.
The BJD swept the polls in all the thirty districts. Out of 852 Zilla Parishad, the BJD won 766 seats, while the BJP and the Congress could grasp 42 and 37 seats respectively. Independents and other parties managed to win seven seats.
Interestingly, while the BJP failed to win even a single Zilla Parishad seat in 10 districts, the Congress Party couldn’t open its account in 18 districts.
Aware of the importance of the Panchayat polls, Naveen had set out early. Apart from announcing incentives for Anganwadi workers, assistants and retired Anganwadi workers, Naveen hiked the salary of junior teachers of all the primary schools of the state by 50 per cent.
He toured the districts extensively, distributing smart cards of the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) – state-sponsored health insurance. The Odisha Chief Minister also announced livelihood assistance of Rs 1,000 each for BSKY cardholders with a special focus on the COVID-hit poor, monetary assistance for the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS), as well as a Rs 1,444 crore package for the repair of the damaged houses of people living in the rural areas.
“Naveen Babu is our guardian, he has done so much and is committed to the well being of the poor like us,” said Balabhadra Bhoi a marginal farmer in the Khordha district.
The Conch symbol party also placed its senior leaders strategically to oversee the poll campaign with a mission to perform well and all this paid off.
On the other hand, the BJP and the weakened Congress’ campaign lacked steam. Particularly, the BJP seemed to lack enthusiasm. “The ruling party used all its might. But we didn’t have a clear cut strategy,” conceded a BJP worker requesting anonymity. However, he exuded confidence, that the 2024 Assembly polls will be a ‘different ball game.’
Incidentally, the BJP buoyed by its stunning show in the 2017 Panchayat polls — nine-fold increase in tally to 297 from 34 (2017) Zilla Parishad seats and it formed ZPs in eight districts- had put up a tough fight against the BJD in the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha polls held simultaneously. The BJP’s upsurge even made many believe that it’s a potential challenger to Naveen’s BJD. Sensing the rising saffron tide, Naveen had hurriedly announced the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, wherein cash amounts were distributed among farmers.
Though the BJD won the Assembly polls convincingly by securing 112 out of the 147 assembly seats, the saffron party had risen as the principal opposition party, eclipsing the Congress. Its vote share too increased to 32% from 18% (2014). It also upped its Lok Sabha tally to 8 from 1 in 2014.
Incidentally, in September 2000, hailing the BJP’s swift rise, its president, JP Nadda had announced, “The days are not far when we will form government in Odisha.” Addressing the party’s state executive meeting from Delhi on a digital platform, Nadda said, “Our spirited cadre is the reason behind the steady rise of the party in the State. We must take a vow to further increase our vote share 50 per cent in next election to form the government”.
Since the Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance government came to power in Delhi in 2014, the saffron party has been keenly eyeing the eastern states. Both in Odisha and West Bengal, it’s been working hard to expand the ground level network. The Odisha Panchayat polls, particularly after the party’s drubbing in West Bengal was perceived to have a huge significance for it ahead of the 2024 assembly elections. Therefore, it’s widely believed that the party would go for an all-out effort to better its position in Odisha.
However, nothing of that sort happened. It even suffered humiliating losses in its traditional strongholds- districts in Western Odisha -Kalahandi, Bolangir, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Nuapada – as well as, the tribal Mayurbhanj and Malkangiri districts.
“The BJD used all its might, as does in every election. But what’s baffling is the BJP’s approach. It seemed like putting up a symbolic fight, lacked any intent. That’s very surprising,” said seasoned journalist, Bighneswar Sahu. “If the party didn’t change its approach, its wish to come to power in the state in 2024 may remain a distant dream,” Sahu added.
*The writer is a senior journalist
