Odisha: What Made Naveen Dismiss Narrative of Pandian as Successor?

Even much before the last phase of polling was to get over on June 1, there was a buzz in Odisha regarding the successor of Naveen Patnaik in the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

In fact, the succession issue, although in circulation earlier, was much in the discussion but it was more about something being felt rather than said.

However, very recently Chief Minister Patnaik, in an interview with a national news agency, made it clear that V K Pandian, his Man Friday, was not his successor as is being “rumoured” in the state.

By saying that, the BJD supremo dismissed a “notional assumption” by people on the ground and among politicians cutting across party lines, He said he had never mandated anyone, whosoever, to succeed him if such occasion arises.

This has further fueled whispers as to who after him? Patnaik said it was the people of Odisha who would decide his successor, not what was being rumoured that Pandian would take over the baton from him.

For several people and political observers, it is still a mystery as to why this issue suddenly cropped up during the Chief Minister’s interview and that too just three days before the last phase of the polls, when parts of the state were voting for 42 MLAs and six Lok Sabha members.

Constituencies like Kendrapara, Balasore and Mayurbhanj are fortresses of the ruling BJD.

Several observers believe that some thought must have gone into the mind of the BJD leader behind setting at rest the talk about the role of Pandian almost shadowing the Chief Minister.

At the root of this notion is said to be a political narrative created by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to further fuel the Pandian issue, which must have somehow impacted the voting, although the latter has never made any such claim, except that he was acting as per the CM’s mandate.

Some analysts feel that Patnaik’s interview with the news agency was pre-arranged as he intended to quell all such speculations as baseless.

Although many feel that the time is appropriate for the 77-year-old Chief Minister to create a second line of leadership.

Once upon a time, a rumour was gaining steam that Patnaik’s nephew, Arun Patnaik, was a probable successor, but the latter has neither shown any interest in power politics nor tried to get close to his uncle (Naveen Patnaik) politically.

“It is quite clear that after Naveen Patnaik, the BJD may collapse like a house of cards”, said Dilip Bisoi, a senior journalist.