In another salvo that has rocked the political landscape of Odisha, a senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA, Badri Patra, has launched an unending attack on the internal politics of the party, labelling those in positions of power as having crossed the limit and lost the ability to inspire trust in the rank and file.
In recent remarks, Badri Patra, a long-time lawmaker known for his outspoken positions, did not mince words, emphasising how such sins sow divisions in the BJD. Individuals who hold responsibilities within the party are pushing boundaries, as he said, and this is directly associated with the increasing discord. He also regretted that the failure of the top leadership to build trust is pushing the grassroots workers onto the lifeboat, a development that might be very problematic for the future of the party as far as future elections are concerned.
To make his outburst the more interesting, Patra also said that he was perplexed by a mysterious saying that has been floating around the political circles: ‘I am down but not out.’ ‘I have no idea what that is,’ he quipped, and this implied that only the one saying it and the one to whom it was said would know what it really means. This oblique allusion has led to the rumours of the power gambit within the BJD, particularly since some of the recent losses.
The MLA comments were even on the buzz of the possible inclusion of bureaucrat Sujata Kartikeyan into the BJD. Ignoring the fear of the lack of space in such a large party, Patra pointed at the necessity of openness of roles and responsibilities. When a large organisation is involved, he said, there are more that can be accommodated, but everybody should be aware of how to behave, what to do, and what to shoulder. He admitted that growth may be controversial but emphasised that boundaries need to be respected in order to achieve harmony. Everything would fall in place in case limits are understood. However, violating them is only going to increase conflicts, Patra said.
Patra also wrote to the present generation of party functionalists a sharp message of reflection on the bottom-up consequences of their actions. Those who are in positions of responsibility today need to realise this fact. Their decisions must be considered in terms of their acceptability at the grassroots level, he said and emphasised that their ultimate validation must be made on the ground and not in these ivory towers of leadership.
What Patra says is at a time when the BJD is sailing through turbulent seas following its literary flattening in the recent assembly elections, with talk of factionalism becoming increasingly vociferous. Analysts think that his vocal position may be the catalyst for much-needed reform, or the rift may become even more pronounced, as the party continues to struggle to restore its cadres’ morale.
With the Odisha political scene blaring with heat, everyone waits to watch how the BJD top management will respond to this insider attack, which exposes the dilemma of finding the balance between ambition, loyalty and discipline in an emerging regional powerhouse.