International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-2(1), April-June, 2015 Sub- Regional Politics and Regional Political Parties: Biju Janata Dal Madan Mohan Bhuyan, Research Scolar, P.G. Department of History, Berhampur University, Berhampur-760007, Ganjam, Odisha Abstract: The new party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had attracted a surprisingly large number of supporters, including 29 MLAs. Inherent contradictions and tensions among the Janata Dal Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), which had vitiated the political life in the state for last few months, after the demise of Biju Patnaik, came to an end with the formation of Biju Janata Dal in 1997. After the Lok Sabha election of 1998, in Odisha BJD-BJP combine became a major political force. This had resulted in the marginalization of the ruling Congress (I) and the decimation of the Janata Dal and its Left allies. Keywords: Biju Janata Dal, historical, geographical, vote bank Introduction Bharatiya Janata Party line for the While regionalism, in general, is party. Three senior leaders who were essentially a product of India‘s diversity, cabinet ministers in the previous Janata sub-regionalism in particular is the Dal government of Biju Patnaik- result of historical and geographical Biswabhusan Harichandan, Vedprakash factors in it. The term ‗sub-region‘ refers Agrawal, and Sarat Kar joined the to a smaller area within a region or Bharatiya Janata Party. A section of the ‗nation‘ which for economic geographic, state Janata Dal legislators had taken historical and social reasons is aware of enthusiastic interest to shape a joint possessing a distinct identity.(1) Sub- opposition front together with the regional conflicts have often been found Bharatiya Janata Party against the to take the shape of movements claiming congress in the fourth coming Odisha their separate identity in the formation Assembly election of 2000. Naveen of regional political parties on the basis Patnaik, who was elected an M.P from of local support. For the emergence of the Aska parliamentary constituency Biju Janata Dal in Odisha factors like after his father‘s death and was holding a political pluralism, religion, regional key portfolio under the Atal Behari imbalance, anti centre, and caste factors Vajpayee at the central cabinet, was are not largely responsible. It cannot extensively leaned to be the leader of the identify a regional party in terms of its dissenter group. Leaders like Dillip Roy, ethnicity or religion-cultural identity. union Minister, Vijay Mahapatra, and other MLAs of western Odisha including In 1997 after the demise of Biju Ananga Udaya Singh Deo and Prasanna Patnaik, the Odisha unit of Janata Dal Acharya were openly came in support of showed the way for a split. There was Naveen Patnaik‘s leadership. also disagreement in the party over the The plan of a magnificent deal leadership issue. At least 15 Janata Dal with Bharatiya Janata Party did not find legislators out of 46 in the state helping hand with Ashok Das, leader of legislative Assembly had advocated a pro- www.ijar.org.in 151 International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-2(1), April-June, 2015 opposition in the state legislative Biju Patnaik‘s house in Bhubaneswar Assembly and Srikant Jena, Union and announced that he and a large Minister. They provoked the central number of legislators were breaking Janata Dal leadership to meddle in this away from the Janata Dal (JD) to form matter. A resentful Janata Dal the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). ―My father President, Sarad Yadav warned, ―we had a lot of dreams for Odisha,‖ he made it clear to the dissidents that we intoned, ―to realize those dreams are our were willing to go to any length to goal‖. He also promptly declared that the accommodate their views, the only new party would have an alliance with condition being that there should be no the Bharatiya Janata Party. Shortly truck with the Bharatiya Janata Party‖. afterwards, Asok Das, State Chief of the Old friends of Biju Patnaik like Surendra truncated Janata Dal, reacting to the Mohan, Minister of Information and new development demanded, ―We are the Broadcasting S.Jaipal Reddy and real party which will strive to fulfill Biju Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Babu‘s dreams‖. (8) Madhu Dandavate were asked to meet The new party Biju Janata Dal Naveen Patnaik and talk to him. (5) (BJD) had attracted a surprisingly large I.K. Gujral one time Prime number of supporters, including 29 Minister of India met Naveen Patnaik MLAs. Inherent contradictions and for an hour and tried to impress upon tensions among the Janata Dal Members him the need to avoid, ―compromising of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), which with the very forces your father spent his had vitiated the political life in the state lifetime fighting‖. Ignoring all the for last few months, after the demise of request of the senior Janta Dal leaders Biju Patnaik, came to an end with the Naveen Patnaik group was all set to form formation of Biju Janata Dal in 1997. a regional party. Subsequently Asok Das, who held both the state units Going by the ground realities in Presidentship of the Janata Dal and the Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership of the Janata Dal legislature could not be kept at arm‘s length. party, was asked to quit his Assembly Though the Bharatiya Janata Party was post. (6) yet to win an election in the state both So by the time the wooing of for 147 Assembly and 21 Loksabha seats Naveen Patnaik began, the split was - the party had emerged as a major factor almost a certainty. In his last attempt in the state, especially in western Sharad Yadav, the President of the Odisha. In the 1996 elections, the Janata Dal at national level phoned Bharatiya Janata Party secured over Naveen Patnaik from Mumbai, ―Come to one-lakh votes in half a dozen Delhi tomorrow and you will get the parliamentary seats, helping the letter appointing you as president of the congress to win by default. Logically, janata dal at the airport itself. Naveen therefore, the Janata Dal leaders had to Patnaik did not take into account the ensure their own survival by working out plea of Sarad yadav and at the same an arrangement with the Bharatiya night he and his group decided to break Janata Party to counter the challenge of away. (7) the congress. (9) As things stand then, the In the last week of December, BJD was the second largest party in 1997 Naveen Patnaik stood under a giant Odisha. They had 29 legislators, while cut out of his father at ‗Naveen Nivas‘, the Bharatiya Janata Party had only 10 www.ijar.org.in 152 International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-2(1), April-June, 2015 members. Therefore, in the BJD‘s Naveen Patnaik suspended five working relationship with the Bharatiya party MLAs for anti-party activities. Janata Party, the B.J.D was ―A‖ team Naveen Patnaik badly faltered at the and the Bharatiya Janata Party was ―B‖ first test of his leadership quality. Not team. only had he failed to rise above the On the contray, the Congress various factions within the party and to Chief Minister J.B. Patnaik was wary keep them on a leash, he had also failed about the emerging alliance between the enthuse the party cadre. Apart from an BJD and the Bharatiya Janata Party. occasional memorandum to the Governor Both the parent Janata Dal and the or a stray press statement demanding congress had been found wanting in the resignation of Chief Minister framing a political response to the J.B.Patnaik, there had hardly been an sudden development. The Janata Dal agitation worth the name against the central leadership badly misread the state Government. In the wake of law warning signals emanating from Odisha and order situation, attacks on the and could do little to retrieve the Christian minority, Anjana Mishra case situation. Even J.B.Patnaik realized he and the ongoing battle of attrition with had few options before him. Naveen his powerful deputy Basant Kumar Patnaik‘s main slogan was going to be Biswal, J.B.Patnaik was at his most ―Save Odisha‖ and there was little that vulnerable during 1998-99. In view of the rivals could do to oppose such an the slender majority of the ruling party emotive plank. (10) in the Assembly, a concerted opposition attack could have made life miserable for Naveen Patnaik had clearly him. But, the intra-party conflict, it was underestimated the clout and support the opposition, which was gasping for Vijaya Mahapatra enjoyed in the party. breath. His decision to induct Damodar Rout and In another significant Sarat Kar had disaster written all over it. development, 18 Janata Dal legislators If Naveen Patnaik really believed that from Odisha had announced that they the entry of these gentlemen would soar were opposed to any type of up his party, it was a genuine error of understanding or alliance with the BJP. judgment. After all both of them had lost These MLAs included Narasingha the last Assembly election badly - Mihsra, Judhistir Das, Surendranath Damodar Rout from two places and had Nayak,, Prafulla Ghadei, Prafulla Samal, done precious little till then. But Naveen Mangala Kissan, Ranendra Pratap Patnaik‘s subsequent moves suggested Swain, Duryodhan Majhi, Bira Sipka, that his action was designed to snub Balabhadra Majhi, Jogendra Behera, Vijaya Mahapatra who had a long- Suryamani Jean, Prasanna Kumar standing rivalry within them. His Patsani, Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, decision to reconstitute the party Hrushikesh Nayak, Bikram Kesari organization to ensure that no Arukh and Madhabandnda Behera.