Naveen Patnaik overhauls BJD, ‘sidelines’ critics in a single stroke, brings back PAC

The decision comes weeks after Patnaik was elected unopposed as party president for a ninth consecutive term on April 19. The PAC, considered to be the most powerful committee in the party, existed in the BJD’s initial years. At the time, Bijoy Mohapatra, a close confidant of Naveen’s father Biju Patnaik and who played an instrumental role in the party’s formation, headed the PAC. Mohapatra opposed most of Naveen’s decisions, which is believed to be the reason for his expulsion from the party in 2000, the year the latter became the CM. The PAC was subsequently abolished, marking the first step Patnaik took to establish his firm grip over the party.

The PAC will be responsible for critical decision-making, including shaping the party’s stance on key issues, making political decisions related to the organisation and election and deciding the party’s political messaging. Senior leaders who raised their voices against Pandian, following the mixed directives on voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, have been kept out of the PAC and the list of office-bearers.

Represented by a mix of experience and youth, a majority of the PAC members are known to be loyal to the party’s power centre and those who have toed the party line on all issues. Sasmit Patra, the BJD’s leader in the Rajya Sabha who was in the eye of the storm over the party’s last-minute flip-flop on the amended Waqf law, has been included in the PAC. After the BJD opposed the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Patra took to social media to announce the party’s stand to allow its MPs to “exercise their conscience” during voting, leading to a row in the party that had earlier opposed the amendments to the Waqf law.

Senior leader Pranab Prakash Das who was the organisational secretary and considered to be next in the BJD hierarchy after Patnaik and Pandian has also been included in the PAC. However, with the party deciding against appointing a successor to Das as organisational secretary, sources said the post was likely to be abolished.

“Though we welcome the decision regarding the formation of the PAC, which can ensure collective decision-making on crucial political matters, the list clearly reflects that those part of the committee are close to a particular powerful camp in the party. We will wait to see how the committee works,” said a senior BJD leader.

The leader questioned the inclusion of some faces in the PAC, including Santrupt Misra, a former CEO for companies in the Aditya Birla Group, considering his lack of political experience.

‘Less prominent’ roles for critics

Party veterans such as Prasanna Acharya, who is the BJD’s deputy leader in the state Assembly, and former minister A U Singhdeo have been appointed in-charge of frontal organisations such as the farmers’ cell and regional development wing, two relatively less significant positions. Both Acharya and Singhdeo were part of a group that met at a city hotel in early April and raised concerns about “outside forces” — an oblique reference to Pandian — weakening Patnaik’s leadership.

Eight-time BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, who in a recent letter to Patnaik alleged that a “few individuals were hijacking the party”, has also been kept out of key organisational positions and has been made the leader in charge of the BJD’s cooperatives cell. Senior MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo has been made the in-charge of the Other Backward Class (OBC) cell.

Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray, who abstained from voting on the Waqf amendments citing his displeasure over the BJD’s last-minute change in stance and accused Pandian of being behind the move, has been assigned the senior citizens’ cell. Another veteran, Badri Narayan Patra, who also alleged there was some “khela (deal) with the BJP” behind the party’s Waqf stance, is now the education and teachers’ cell in-charge.

According to another BJD leader, by appointing these senior members as in-charges of various cells, the party has sought to “send a message that dissidents would always be cut to size”. “The situation is such that these leaders can’t even complain that they are sidelined,” the leader said.

Hockey icon Dilip Tirkey has replaced Munna Khan as the convener of the party’s minority cell, while Khan has been made co-ordinator of the south zone cell.

Khan had not only opposed and voted against the Waqf bill, but also questioned the party’s decision not to issue a whip and allow the MPs to “exercise their conscience”. A delegation led by Khan had also raised slogans such as “Pandian go back” and “Pandian hatao, BJD bachao (remove Pandian, save BJD)” at Patnaik’s residence after the Waqf voting flip-flop. “Khan’s recent outburst might be the reason behind his demotion,” said a BJD source.

Senior BJD leader Pratap Jena said the new PAC and office-bearers would help rejuvenate and reorganise the party at the state, district and block levels. “Our fight for the cause of Odisha and its people will continue. The regional party would soon announce names for its youth, student and women wings,” he said.