Not long back, Odisha was the fiefdom of Patnaiks. The names of Biju Patnaik and J.B. Patnaik invariably cropped up whenever there were discussions around Odisha politics. Naveen Patnaik, on the other hand, ruled for the longest period in Odisha’s history.
The Patnaiks’ Dominance in Odisha Politics
After India’s Independence, though Odisha has got 16 chief ministers, the three Patnaiks have been the chief ministers of the state for most of the time — 45 out of 77 years In 1961, Biju Patnaik became the chief minister and remained in power for two years and 100 days. Then, in 1990, he became the chief minister again and ruled the state for five years and 10 days. J.B. Patnaik became the chief minister for the first time in 1980 and remained in power for two consecutive terms – for nine years and 192 days, which was a record in itself. In 1995, he came back to power and ruled for another three years and 339 days. Next came Biju Patnaik’s son Naveen Patnaik. From 2000 to 2024, he ruled the state for a total of 24 years and 99 days.
Other Patnaiks in Power
Patnaiks’ rule, however, is not limited to just for the post of chief minister. Many Patnaiks have enjoyed power as cabinet ministers, ministers of state and deputy chief minister. In 1937, just after the creation of the separate Odisha, Gorachand Patnaik became the state’s revenue and education minister. Lalmohan Patnaik was the speaker of the Odisha Assembly in 1946. After Independence, Surendra Patnaik and Banamali Patnaik became the revenue, power and water resources minister, and education minister in 1966 respectively. In 1971, Ramkrushna Patnaik was the minister of state for health and family welfare.
Jagannath Patnaik, In the year 1974, was the deputy minister for education and youth affairs. In 1978, he was promoted as a minister of state and given the charge of planning and coordination and mining and geology departments.
In 1980, Raghunath Patnaik became the finance minister of Odisha. The same year, Jugal Kishore Patnaik became the minister of state for labour, employment, tourism, sports and cultural, while Niranjan Patnaik served as the minister of state for water resources and power, and Krushna Chandra Patnaik was in charge of the law and transport departments.
Raghunath Patnaik again got the finance, In the year 1985, with the law ministry additionally. Jugal Kishore Patnaik and Niranjan Patnaik became cabinet ministers – the former being the minister for education and youth affairs and the latter revenue, science and technology and health and family welfare. During Biju Patnaik’s second term as the chief minister in 1990, Ramakrushna Patnaik became the minister for finance and rural development.
When J.B. Patnaik came back to power in 1995, he made Raghunath Patnaik as law minister, Jagannath Patnaik as revenue minister and Durga Shankar Patnaik as labour and employment minister. However, when Naveen Patnaik became the chief minister in 2000, only one Patnaik, Ramakrushna Patnaik, was included in his cabinet as the food and supplies minister. Apart from being ministers, Niranjan Patnaik and Sarat Patnaik were presidents of Odisha Congress. Patnaiks’ Dominance in Odisha Politics.
Decline of the Patnaiks’ Political Influence
However, Patnaiks now seem to lose their grip over the political discourse in the state. With the exception of Naveen Patnaik, neither they are in the ministry nor in top party posts. The current scenario prompts speculation about whether the Patnaiks’ reduced prominence is a temporary phase or a permanent decline. Factors like the rise of new political dynamics, generational shifts, and changing voter preferences will determine whether the Patnaiks can reclaim their influence or vanish from the political sphere altogether.