Biju Janata Dal supremo Naveen Patnaik’s recent decision to suspend party MLAs Sanatan Mahakud and Arabinda Mohapatra for “anti-party” activities has dispelled doubts about his control over the party. This move was evidence that his command over BJD is complete and anyone stepping out of line would be strictly dealt with. It was Naveen’s way of asserting himself, sending out a clear message not only to party members but across the political spectrum that no one can take him for granted.
Coming ahead of Panchayat and Rajya Sabha elections, the move is being seen as significant. Interestingly enough it has also revived the succession debate within the party while exposing a section of party leaders whose apparently doubtful loyalty to Naveen makes them look like fence-sitters.
The succession issue is back in focus because of a growing perception that despite Patnaik being in full control of the party he needs a trusted hand to run the day today affairs of the BJD, the most successful regional party in the history of Odisha. The person will not only be the hand-on boss of the party but might also act as a buffer between Naveen, who has been the BJD president since its inception, and ordinary leaders and workers. The purpose would be not to create a distance between the supreme leader and the cadre but also ease the pressure on Naveen so that he can focus on bigger goals.
Eversince the succession debate began several names have been doing the rounds. Until the results of the last elections were announced IAS officer-turned-politician VK Pandian’s name was doing the rounds of party circles as Naveen’s potential successor. However, eversince BJD’s poll debacle and Pandian’s decision to steer clear of day today politics, speculation surrounding him seems to have subsided.
Among others the names of former minister Pranab Prakash Das and Bolangir MLA Kalikesh Singh Deo are also being discussed. However, while there seems to be simmering discontent against Pranab among the party cadre, who hold him responsible for BJD’s 2024 defeat more than Pandian, Kalikesh lacks the kind of experience the party needs at this juncture.Former minister Debi Mishra is experienced but the general perception is that he would find it hard to meet the expectations of both Naveen and the cadre at 
this juncture. Besides, several leaders appear to have become suspect in the wake of Naveen’s decisive action against Mahakud and Mohapatra. Former ministers Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Pramila Mallick were among the prominent BJD leaders to extend whole-hearted support to Naveen, justifying it completely.
However, there was a section who instead of extending support to the move preferred to keep quiet, stoking suspicion that they were trying to express their loyalty to the so-called Biju Parivar which is represented by the likes of Dilip Ray, Bijay Mohapatra, Prabhat Tripathy and Amar Satpathy. This set of leaders did not openly oppose the action of Naveen but kept quiet, sending out a wrong message.There is a growing feeling that the party needs a second-i n-command to counter such elements and ensure that BJD continues to run smoothly with its popularity intact ahead of the crucial panchayat polls which is being seen as a barometer of popularity for the major political parties of the state. This person will be the hands-on BJD boss, running its day today affairs and acting, when required, as a shock absorber to ease the pressure on Naveen who can then focus on the prime task of retrieving the ground party lost in 2024 by conceding power to the BJP. With Pandian keeping away from politics and many known leaders having lost their credibility, sources say that the person being considered ideal for the task is former IAS officer Sujata Kartikeyan, the wife of Pandian who enjoys an excellent image as an administrator, commands tremendous respect among women whom she lent dignity and livelihood support as the head of Mission Shakti department during its most formative
period.The best thing about Sujata is that if she steps into this role she would be beginning with a clean slate with no one likely to raise a finger towards her. While her efficiency and integrity have always been beyond doubt, she has been a great admirer of Naveen Patnaik who also holds her in high esteem. What also works in her favour is that she is a born Odia, hailing from coastal Odisha, politically the most sensitive area of the state.“ She will be the ideal person to handle the job that was once the privilege of her husband and before that was discharged for sometime by the late Pyari Mohan Mohapatra. This is the ideal time for her to step in and for the leadership to assign her this task as BJP is facing severe infighting and Congress seems to have run out of steam, this creating a great opportunity for the BJD to bounce back. She should be entrusted with this responsibility in the larger interest of the party,” said a senior leader.
