Call it the anti-incumbency trend against the ruling BJD or the growing popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP’s largely unexpected victory in the first two phases of the Zilla Parishad elections in Odisha indicates the mood of the rural voters in favour of the BJP. The next three phases of the ZP polls are also likely to continue to be under the BJP’s spell.
Modi’s popularity, Amit Shah’s strategy and the commandership of Union Minister and BJP’s Odisha face Dharmendra Pradhan have not only helped the State BJP to achieve its national political goal of Congress Mukt Odisha so early but also forced the State ruling BJD to surrender its vital bases to BJP.
In the semi-final game, the BJP has eliminated INC and stood as second party in Odisha, ready to take on the first position holder BJD in the final political game of 2019 Assembly poll. The re-blooming time of lotus has begun in Odisha, after a span of nearly seven years, since it was out of the State power in 2009 Assembly poll.
It was only three years ago that the Odisha voters opted for BJD for the fourth time in 2014 Assembly and lok Sabha polls, rejecting the good governance call of Modi at the Center. Odisha voters blessed BJD with 20 out of 21 lok Sabha seats and 117 out of 147 Assembly seats, leaving only one lS seat and 10 Assembly seats to BJP. They also gave 16 Assembly seats to INC, reposing faith on it as the main opposition in the State. Today, they have changed their mood. They have shown full trust deficit for INC and partial loss of faith for BJD. Even the rural voters of certain big districts like Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj have exhibited full trust on BJP, shifting their loyalty from both INC and BJD. Though the BJD shall be able to maintain its leadership status on the overall ZP scenario in the State and in the coastal segments, the BJP has already made its inroads to the district headquarters through its ZP representatives. Sitting at the district ZP bodies, it will prepare its strategy for its next destination, the State Secretariat, which is not far away.
The change of the voters mind is significant as the change occurred after a short span of three years. The timing of change is also crucial in the national context as BJP is seeking Assembly mandate in a few north Indian States. The Odisha rural poll outcome has gone as a blessing for the Prime Minister Modi, who showcased it during the UP election rally as a pro-Union Government voting to woo UP voters.
After occupying power in Delhi, the BJP has picked up two Odia Ministers such as Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram to focus on the State. Gradually, the party has reposed faith on Pradhan to lead the State unit, since the IOCl inauguration at Paradip. The party put Basanta Panda as the State unit president to satisfy the western Odisha voters while keeping Pradhan as the undeclared commander-in-chief to strategize the power path and engage him with regular fight with BJD in the field. While the Union Government maintained good relation with BJD to manage Parliament, the party put Pradhan on the ground to checkmate Patnaik. Amit Shah, while maintaining silence against the BJD during his Odisha visit for political compulsions, allowed the State unit to strengthen at the grassroots.
The party went on expanding its grassroots base through memberships, committees and protest activities. Pradhan slowly established his leadership, in spite of the opposition from a small quarter of senior leaders. He picked up his team of young soldiers like Sarada Satpathy, Nayan Mohanty, Sameer Mohanty, Prithiviraj Harichandan, Prabhati Parida, lekhasri Samantsinghar, Bhrugu Bakshipatra, Golak Moahapatra, Dilip Mohanty , assisted by senior leaders like Sajjan Sharma and a few others to fight with BJD on day- to-day basis .To weaken INC, he pulled the followers of lulu Mohapatra after the latter’s death and inducted leaders like Giridhar Gomango or brothers of Hemnanda Biswal. He also re-inducted a few BJP leaders to the party.
Whether it was the Padma awards from west Odisha or the reality show awards of Odia youth, he participated in these small processes. Finally, the Vigilance raids on petrol pumps made him a leader of importance. He continued to attack Patnaik to win the trust of voters as an alternative leader. He set in a political process as the leader of the State BJP.