The panchayat poll results after the final phase on Tuesday were contrary to what was expected and proved that the three major political parties, BJD, BJP and Congress, had failed to comprehend the public mood.
The ruling BJD was rock solid in its belief that it would sweep the poll, while BJP and Congress were expecting improvement of varying degrees over their past tallies, given the long 16 years of rule of the BJD, its strong base at the grassroots, besides its money and muscle power. But, since the first phase poll result on February 13, things were coming different.
The BJP was getting increasing number of ZP seats, decimating the ones previously held by the Congress and the BJD. And, in the subsequent four phases till February 21, the trend continued unchanged favouring the BJP and giving rude shocks to the BJD and Congress.
In between, there were lots of allegations and counter allegations by the three parties, with SEC receiving a litany of complaints. There was jubilation in the BJP camp while Congress was downcast and a shocked BJD was looking at everything with fingers crossed.
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was making whirlwind tour to different parts and campaigning vigorously, energized by the success in each phase of election. On the contrary, BJD leaders started accusing the BJP of using money from Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand and Union Ministers and Chief Ministers from neighbouring States for campaign to woo voters. It was also said that the Petroleum Ministry’s manpower and money were fully utilized for influencing the voters.
The BJP, however, said that the BJD was resorting to violence and attacking its leaders and workers. It also accused the ruling party of using the police and Government officials to intimidate the voters. Petroleum Minister Pradhan sought an inquiry into the role of some top cops and officials who were trying to control the entire poll exercise to favour the BJD. A former BJD Minister and a former BJD MlA were caught red-handed while distributing money in Sundargarh and Baleswar and they even faced the wrath of the public. Instances of attacks and assaults between BJD and BJP workers were many. There were even a few murder cases.
Amid the fiery confrontations between the BJD and the BJP, a badly bruised Congress, which faced the worst drubbings, was seen cornered and licking its wounds. The humiliating defeat also sharpened its intra-party feud further and once again the same discussion of the ClP head and PCC head not having any sync gained momentum.
Given the verdict that has come, it is clear that no party has properly assessed correctly the mood of the rural voters before the election and that rather than any single factor, a bunch of factors can be attributed for the poll outcome. There is clear anti-incumbency, a desire and impatience to change the status quo even if there is no alternative, rampant corruption by leaders and officials, growing marginalization and frustration among the poor, deterioration of basic services in rural areas like education and healthcare etc and a fall in the charisma of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The BJD shut its eyes to these factors, while for the BJP all of them proved to be uncalculated pluses as Congress failed entirely to cash in on them. The BJP emerged more reliable than Congress for its unity, leadership quality represented by Dhramendra Pradhan and its Government at the Centre. The Congress feet are getting deeper and deeper in the morass of ego-clash among leaders, lack of cohesion, loose organization and no single visible leader.