What does the opposition need to learn from Naveen Patnaik’s defeat?

Why was there no celebration on Patnaik’s defeat

Normally, the defeat of a leader who has been in power for the past 24 years is met with wild celebrations. Remember the celebrations in Kolkata in 2011 when Mamata Banerjee won the ‘Red Fort’ after a landslide victory after 34 years. There was no such celebration in Odisha after the defeat of Naveen Patnaik, the most unpredictable politician. he/she was thrust into the turmoil of public life after his/her father Biju Patnaik passed away in 1997. Perhaps the people of Odisha were tired of the calmness brought to public life by Naveen Babu. They were looking for excitement with the promise of a Modi wave. Perhaps they reacted sharply against a perceived political takeover of Naveen Niwas.

Opinion: ‘Odia identity’, ‘Odia Hindu pride’… How did BJP break the spell of Naveen Patnaik in Odisha?

Naveen was not defeated by any hatred

Whatever be the assessment of the election results, Patnaik’s defeat was not fuelled by any kind of hatred. For all his/her alleged shortcomings and quirks, the Biju Janata Dal leader was always seen as an epitome of decency and dignity. How much respect he/she commanded from all quarters became evident when he/she attended the swearing-in ceremony of his/her successor Mohan Charan Majhi, the first chief minister of the BJP’s first government in Odisha. From the prime minister and the Union home minister on down, almost everyone at the swearing-in ceremony in Bhubaneswar last Wednesday saw the outgoing leader not as an adversary but as Odisha’s senior statesman.

How can Naveen move ahead in coordination with the Centre?

What helped in this rise was that Naveen Babu understood the limitations of partisanship. While in office, he/she realised that the development of a state also depended on cooperation and coordination with the Centre, irrespective of which party was ruling in Delhi. This bipartisan approach – including his/her characteristic spontaneity – helped him/her take many big decisions for Odisha and took this backward state ahead of neighbouring West Bengal. Odisha came to be regarded as the Jewel of the East. This may hurt Bengali pride, but a very large proportion of students who sustained Bhubaneswar as an education hub came from Bengal.

Anti-incumbency, VK Pandian or something else… how did BJP snatch Naveen Patnaik’s stronghold?

Separated from NDA in 2009, did not form alliance again

Naveen Babu is the leader of a regional party that never formally aligned itself with any national coalition after walking out of the NDA in 2009. This strategic autonomy was shaped by a keen awareness of national interest. Whether it was taking the extra step to revive hockey as the national sport or collaborating with the BJP on the GST law and the repeal of Article 370, he/she instinctively knew where party politics ends and national interest begins. This created a special place for him/her in public life.

Why the opposition should learn from Patnaik

India is entering a new phase of competitive politics. Naveen Babu’s political outlook offers valuable lessons. In recent times, many institutions in India have come under attack from foreign institutions. Attempts were made to question the integrity of India’s democracy, including the election results. This was not because the West has a fanatical interest in maintaining freedom and independence, but because they wanted to highlight the so-called democratic shortcomings of India to weaken its global position.

There is a need to be alert to the signals from the West

It is shameful that the Western agenda was promoted by political parties and others who wanted a stick to beat the Modi government with. It was reprehensible that the leader of a major opposition party appealed to the West to intervene and save Indian democracy. The inability to distinguish between domestic politics and national interest has also weakened Indian businesses. Over the past two decades, many Indian corporates have become significant players on the international stage. As anticipated, their rise has led to rivalries, including with the dragon in the East. The government in Delhi has an obligation to support legitimate Indian businesses abroad and protect them from motivated attacks. There must be a national consensus among all parties that value national sovereignty to promote Indian enterprise.

Why it is important to understand the opposition

Yet, in an effort to target Modi, there were politicians and their allies who happily joined in motivated attacks like the biased Hindenburg report on the Adani Group. Attacks that did not stop even after the Supreme Court found no evidence of wrongdoing on their part. Now, in an effort to target Indian business further, baseless allegations of a stock market scam linked to exit polls are being made. The rationale behind these attacks on national institutions is like a fierce war. To destroy the financial backbone of the country to target the ruling party. Naveen Patnaik served as an independent chief minister in these difficult times. he/she was mindful that to make Odisha better, he/she would also have to keep the tricolour flying high. This is a lesson for those who take endless tuitions in politics but never seem to learn.