By Sunil Jena | Editor-in-Chief, The Politics Odia
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), once celebrated as one of the strongest regional parties in India, is now facing an identity crisis. Following its defeat in the 2024 Odisha assembly elections, the party appears fragmented, directionless, and internally unsettled. While Naveen Patnaik continues to remain the party’s symbolic head, his visible withdrawal from active politics has created a leadership vacuum that is proving increasingly difficult to ignore.
At the heart of this vacuum lies the question: Who will reorganise and reinvigorate the BJD? For many within the party, the answer still seems to be VK Pandian.
Naveen’s Exit and the Crisis Within
The BJD’s long-standing strength came from Naveen Patnaik’s image — a clean, calm, and consistent administrator. But over the last few years, even before the electoral defeat, his engagement had visibly diminished. Age, health, and perhaps disillusionment had distanced him from the micromanagement of the party he once built block by block.
What remains now is a structure, not a movement.
Local leaders complain of confusion. Cadres are inactive. There is no strategic communication. No clear opposition narrative. And most importantly, no credible face that can challenge the aggressive style of the current BJP-led government in Odisha.
The Shadow of VK Pandian
VK Pandian, once seen as the most powerful bureaucrat in the state, was both respected and resented. While critics called him overreaching, loyalists credit him for managing everything from election strategy to governance branding. After his formal retirement from politics post-2024, many expected him to fade away from the political landscape.
But insiders say that even today, MLAs, district presidents, and youth wing leaders continue to seek his advice. His hold over the organisation was deep, and despite the controversies, his absence is now being felt more than ever.
If BJD is to recover, many believe it needs Pandian, not behind the curtain, but at the forefront.
BJP’s Consolidation and Congress’s New Energy
The current BJP government under CM Mohan Majhi has wasted no time in establishing control. Aggressive public relations, symbolic temple politics, and high-voltage administrative decisions have made headlines. While the governance record is still debatable, the perception war is being won.
Interestingly, the Congress — long dismissed in Odisha — is making quiet inroads, particularly among tribal and Dalit voters. With the caste census narrative, OBC reservation pledges, and a more vocal youth leadership, the party is repositioning itself in BJD’s vacuum zones.
This makes BJD’s silence even costlier.
Can Pandian Return Without Resistance?
This is not just a matter of individual charisma. Pandian’s return, formal or informal, will face scrutiny. His past political experiments did not yield results. He has detractors — inside and outside the party.
But BJD doesn’t have the luxury of choices right now. If a political strategist with intimate organisational knowledge and direct access to Naveen does not step in, the party might see further erosion.
The debate within the party is no longer about succession — it is about survival.
Conclusion
The BJD stands at a historic crossroads. With Naveen Patnaik gradually retreating and no second-tier leadership ready to fill the void, the organisation risks collapsing under its legacy. VK Pandian remains a polarising yet essential figure. If BJD has to fight back, reclaim its narrative, and restructure itself before the 2029 general elections, it needs action, not nostalgia.
And that action might just begin with Pandian.
