Naveen Patnaik, the novice who became Odisha's longest-serving CM

When senior leaders of many non-BJP and non-Congress political parties recently had a conclave at NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s New Delhi residence to discuss various issues, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the most successful non-BJP and non-Congress chief minister in the country at present was busy monitoring the Covid situation in the state and reviewing the developmental activities.

The political development in New Delhi had no impact on him. It appeared as if he was trying to give a signal to other non-BJP and non-Congress parties and leaders that he was keen to serve his state rather than indulging in political activities.

Observers say this attitude has helped the 75-year-old five-time chief minister to remain at the top of the popularity chart of state leaders for more than two decades now. He had become chief minister for the first time way back in 2000.

Patnaik who heads the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) created a record as the longest-serving chief minister of Odisha. He is the third Indian chief minister to capture the hot seat for five consecutive terms. The other two are—the late Jyoti Basu of the neighbouring West Bengal and Pawan Kumar Chamling of Sikkim.

Patnaik was once considered a novice disinterested in politics. His legendary father, the late former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik never promoted him as his successor.

In fact, he was an accidental politico who was reportedly pushed by the then undivided Janata Dal leadership to contest the by-poll from Aska, his father’s south Odisha Lok Sabha constituency, after Biju Patnaik’s demise in 1997.

Before entering politics in his mid-50s, Patnaik was known as a writer and a socialite who had many high profile friends including a few international celebrities such as rock icon Mick Jagger, the lead singer of Rolling Stones band and Jacqueline Kennedy, the former US first lady.

He authored three books including Desert Kingdom, a novel on the royals of Bikaner, Rajasthan and Garden of Life, an essay on medicinal plants available in India.

The turning point came in his political career in 1998 when undivided Janata Dal leaders in Odisha, most of them close associates of Biju Patnaik, decided to break away from the parent party to form a regional outfit Biju Janata Dal (BJD). They roped in Naveen to lead the party, as they thought that being a political greenhorn, Naveen might dance to their tunes.

However, that was not to be. The Doon school-educated Patnaik who is also an alumnus of St Stephens and Kirori Mal College in New Delhi proved to be smarter than the seasoned politicos. He mastered the art of eliminating possible rivals within the party. Bijoy Mohapatra, BJD’s founder secretary-general was sacked from the party just on the eve of the 2000 assembly elections. A five-time MLA and a former state minister, Mohapatra has never been able to come out of the shock since then.

Two consecutive wins in the assembly polls in 2000 and 2004 under his stewardship in alliance with the BJP helped Patnaik to strengthen his position and throw all possible rivals within the party out.

Patnaik made a clever political move on the eve of the 2009 simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Odisha when he decided to snap his 11-year-old alliance with the BJP. He thought the BJD would do better if it contests the twin polls alone as the BJP was just piggybacking on his personal popularity. He registered a handsome victory in the simultaneous polls. His charm ensured a landslide for BJD during the 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly polls and a comfortable victory in the next 2019 twin polls.

Observers believe that Patnaik is considered a clean and honest politician. His simple lifestyle and soft and calm nature, as well as successful implementation of pro-poor and pro-farmer schemes such as KALIA, a cash transfer arrangement for farmers and Ahar, a cheap meal project for urban poor besides Rs 2/kg rice scheme for both rural and urban poor, have helped Patnaik gain people’s faith.

The five-time chief minister’s political journey has its share of rough patches. He had a tough time in 2012 when his principal advisor, the late Pyari Mohon Mohapatra engineered a revolt to topple his government in his absence. He threw Mohapatra out of the party and punctured the revolt. Patnaik never went abroad since then as chief minister to date.

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