The Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s recent nomination of candidates to the Rajya Sabha would have passed off as a routine affair if not for the fact that the party chose to announce only two names and not the third. This was especially surprising as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s firm leadership usually leaves no room for interference within the BJD. Speculation was rife that the BJD was awaiting the nod from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The mystery unravelled on February 14 when the BJP’s Central leadership announced the name of Union Minister of Railways, Communication, and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Odisha despite the national party not having adequate strength in the State Assembly. The BJD lost no time in issuing a brief statement extending support to him. This episode exhibits the complex relationship of more than a decade between the BJD and the BJP, who were once coalition partners, in Odisha.
While the BJP is trying to displace the BJD, which has held power for over two decades in the eastern State, the regional party is deploying every trick in its playbook to resist the BJP’s advances. Yet, on critical Bills in Parliament, constitutional positions, and contentious national issues, the BJP appears to always bank on the BJD’s support.
