New Delhi: An “overconfident” BJP “failed to read the writing on the wall” in Odisha, where its “Bahubali” approach against the ruling BJD’s supremo Naveen Patnaik failed to cut into his strong support base and connect with the masses who re-elected him his party to form the state government for a record fifth term.
After failing to dislodge Mr Patnaik, a review by the BJP has blamed its loss on the saffron party’s own election strategy, which remained “unclear and flip flop”.
The poll loss assessment by BJP’s state leaders also suggests that the saffron party remained “unclear” whether or not to consider Mr Patnaik as “an opponent or a possible ally” of the BJP-led NDA government and this also confused the cadre. Odisha faced Assembly polls along with the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP managed to increase its parliamentary seats in Odisha from earlier one to eight this time, it failed to oust Mr Patnaik from his citadel as the BJD managed to hold ground despite the saffron party’s blitzkrieg.
Though the BJP has made significant inroads in the state since 2014 and did exceptionally well during local bodies polls, its cadre, according to sources, remained “confused” on whether or not the party top brass “really want to oust Mr Patnaik”.
Though political opponents in the state, the BJD had on numerous occasions sided with the BJP-led NDA and its recent decision to support a BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha berth has only increased the confusion.
Many state BJP leaders are also miffed with the central team for not heeding to their suggestions of not attacking Mr Patnaik, whose “personal image” and “popularity” remained unchallenged.
Sources disclosed that the state team had even advised central leaders to embark upon a “rathyatra” ahead of the polls, to counter Mr Patnaik’s campaign to Assembly seats but the central leaders did not agree.
The review also suggests that how Mr Patnaik’s image only got “strengthened” throughout the campaign as he refrained from replying back to BJP’s “aggressive language” against him and the way he and his party refrained from “ostentatious campaigning methods”.
“Naveen Babu’s image is his party’s biggest asset. The way he remained cool and calm when his chopper was checked by the EC personnel in Rourkela and the way he graciously handled barbs against him through out the poll campaign has only strengthened his image among the masses. Naveen babu showed that he is the undisputed leader of the state,” said a senior BJP leader.
