BJD's Historic Setback, BJP Sweeps Odisha Elections: Naveen Patnaik Steps Down After 24-Year Rule

Naveen Patnaik, the president of the Biju Janata Dal, tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister of Odisha to Governor Raghubar Das in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. The BJD suffered defeat in the Odisha Assembly elections, securing 51 out of 147 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious with 78 seats, thus forming the government in Odisha for the first time. Patnaik, who held the position of Chief Minister for 24 years since March 2000, stepped down following his party's electoral setback.

The Odisha Assembly elections were conducted concurrently with the Lok Sabha polls across four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The BJP registered a sweeping victory in the parliamentary elections in Odisha, securing 20 out of 21 seats, while the Congress managed to secure only one seat. The BJD, however, failed to secure any seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

Naveen Patnaik, aged 77, submitted his resignation to Governor Raghubar Das a day after the BJD's defeat in both the state assembly and Lok Sabha elections to the BJP. Patnaik, who had been in power since 2000, arrived at the Raj Bhavan in the morning to formally resign from his position.

The BJD's performance in the state assembly elections was its poorest to date, securing only 51 seats out of 147, while the BJP emerged victorious with 78 seats. The BJP, emphasizing 'Odia Asmita' (Odia pride) as its primary campaign theme, secured a significant majority in the Vidhan Sabha, as well as 20 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats.

Naveen Patnaik's political journey began when he succeeded his father, Biju Patnaik, as the leader of the BJD following the latter's demise in 1997. With support from the BJP, the BJD was established to capitalize on the sympathy wave following Biju Patnaik's passing. Despite initially facing challenges due to his limited proficiency in Odia, Naveen Patnaik rapidly gained popularity after winning his first assembly elections in 2000. Throughout his tenure, Patnaik navigated various political landscapes, aligning with the BJP initially before parting ways in 2009, citing communal tensions. Despite facing electoral challenges, Patnaik secured consecutive victories in the state assembly polls, including a landslide win in 2014 and a resilient campaign in 2019 against a resurgent BJP led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.