Bhubaneswar: Several senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders visited Naveen Patnaik at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday after he was shifted to a private room from the ICU.
Naveen is recuperating at the hospital after undergoing a spine surgery for cervical arthritis on June 22.
Speaking to the media, the leaders did that they also met Naveen’s elder brother Prem Patnaik and discussed about the health condition of the BJD president. This has heightened the speculation about the next possible successor in the regional party, which initial stemmed from a video message released by Prem on Monday about Naveen’s health. Political observers are keen to know as to what prompted Prem to make a sudden entry. Is this a big signal about the next successor in the BJD?
Prem’s entry…what next?
After the surgery of Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, his elder brother Prem Patnaik first gave information about his health in a video message. Prem’s video was widely circulated by the BJD. After that, the BJD leaders, who went to see Naveen in Mumbai, also met Prem Patnaik. Both the developments taken together point to many possibilities. During the last elections, there was a heated debate about Naveen’s successor in BJD. It was claimed by many that BJD lost the polls due to a general perception that Naveen’s power had been hijacked by bureaucrat-turned-politician V K Pandian. After the BJD moved to Opposition, there was a ruckus over Pandian’s continued influence in the regional party. This division was also seen during the Waqf Bill voting. Therefore, the question arises, whether someone from Naveen’s family will enter Odisha politics to resolve the row in the BJD.
Reason behind photo session?
During their visit to Mumbai, the BJD leaders held a photo session outside the hospital where Naveen is being treated. There should not be any problem in meeting their party president. However, what is significant is that most of the leaders who went to Mumbai are from the group supporting Pandian. Be it Pranab Prakash Das, Manas Mangaraj or Sanjay Das Burma or Jeetu Balabanatray, these leaders are known to be close to the former bureaucrat. It is said that their visit to Mumbai together and taking pictures in a group outside the hospital sends a significant signal. Apart from the photo session, Manas Mangaraj and Sanjay Das Burma have also given statements in the media. They said that they met Naveen and also held discussion with Prem Patnaik. Now, the question arises as to why they met Prem Patnaik and what was discussed during the meeting.
Will something big happen in BJD?
The development involving the visit of BJD leaders together to Mumbai and their meetings with Naveen as well as Prem Patnaik triggered intense discussions in political circles and within the party. There is a talk that the motive behind the BJD leaders’ photo session was political. Observers wonder as to who decided that a leader belonging to Pandian ‘coterie’ should give a statement before the media about discussion with Prem Patnaik. It is even said that an individual has been in Mumbai who prepared all the plots to become the next successor in the party. There is also talk that the BJD leaders were sent to seek the support of Naveen’s family after getting former chief minister’s backing. The BJD witnessed internal turmoil over the vote on Waqf Bill. Pandian’s supporters and opponents came face to face over the issue. While some BJD leaders of a group went to Mumbai, it is said that leader of another group sent a strong message about their strength. Now, the question arises if something big is going to happen in the BJD, which has been struggling with turmoil within the party after losing power.
