One burning question recently gaining momentum is: Who is truly at the helm of the Odisha government? During the election season, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felt compelled to clarify his stance.
Patnaik's reply mirrored Sonia Gandhi's defiant declaration in the Congress committee, 'I am in charge as President... and I alone make all decisions.' Such inquiries had emerged within Congress amidst the turmoil in the Punjab faction leading up to the 2022 Assembly elections with Sonia Gandhi as the interim President.
By affirming his solo decision-making in the Odisha government, Patnaik responded in a manner akin to Sonia Gandhi, yet his move seems reminiscent of Mayawati's tactical sidelining of her nephew Akash Anand. Mayawati's move, ostensibly to shield Akash until he was ready for the mantle of succession, was justified to prevent entanglement in needless legal tussles after police complaints were lodged against him.
It appears that both Patnaik's BJD and Mayawati's BSP share a common need for successors. The TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, is also rumored to echo this sentiment; although Mamata herself remains actively engaged from parliament to the streets, unlike Patnaik, who faces health-related scrutiny from the BJP during elections.
Why the Health Queries on Patnaik?
The issue escalated last month when a video of Naveen Patnaik and VK Pandian went viral. In the video, Patnaik is seen delivering a speech while Pandian holds the microphone.
Patnaik's left hand was visibly trembling on the podium until Pandian quickly moved it out of sight. At an election rally in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned whether Patnaik's deteriorating health was part of a conspiracy and assured the public that a BJP government in Odisha would investigate.
Following the video's virality and Modi's query, Patnaik was forced to reply, 'The Prime Minister publicly stated my health is poor... he wishes to investigate... If he was so concerned about my health, he should have called me... I assure the Prime Minister... I am completely fine.'
The Controversy Surrounding Pandian
Is Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik grooming VK Pandian as his successor?
In response to the allegations, Patnaik said, 'I do not understand these exaggerations... you have seen that he is not contesting the election... he is not my successor.'
Regarded as the most influential bureaucrat in Odisha, VK Pandian's unexpected elevation to a cabinet minister's status with certain responsibilities shortly after approval of his VRS in October 2023 raised eyebrows, leading to speculations about him being Patnaik's successor.
Before the election announcement, serious attempts at a BJP-BJD alliance in Odisha were made, with Pandian playing a key role. Although the attempt didn't succeed, rumors of a consensus that BJD wouldn't contest Lok Sabha seats against the BJP, and vice versa for the assembly, persisted. The true situation will be revealed by the election outcomes.
The viral video of Patnaik's trembling hands has led to escalating tension, prompting Patnaik to step forward with a response. Born in Tamil Nadu, IAS officer VK Pandian (2000 batch, Punjab cadre) shifted to an Odia cadre post-marriage, which has drawn continuous criticism from the BJP, labeling him an outsider.
Central Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from Odisha alleges that without Pandian's consent, not a leaf stirs in the Odisha government. He claims, 'No one except VK Pandian is permitted into Naveen Patnaik's residence... what state has he brought the Chief Minister to?'
Patnaik has also addressed Dharmendra Pradhan's accusations, seizing the opportunity to counter not only Pradhan but also Modi and the BJP, 'It seems to me he is getting more desperate... especially as their popularity declines nationwide.'
If Not Pandian, Who Will Succeed Patnaik?
In an interview with news agency ANI, Naveen Patnaik has dismissed BJP's claims of Pandian being his successor, calling them exaggerations. He asserts that being an election contender isn't a prerequisite for becoming a Chief Minister.
Regarding BJD's succession, Patnaik maintains, 'I have repeatedly said that it's for the people of Odisha to decide the successor - Odisha has made its decision, and we shall see what unfolds on June 4th.'
