Invincible Naveen

Bhubaneswar: BJD will celebrate Foundation Day tomorrow. The
party will turn 25 on Sunday. When Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
was sworn in on March 5, 2000, who knew how long his rule would
last. Everyone was worried about the political turmoil, the success of
Naveen in governing Odisha, a disaster-stricken state and a
financially disadvantaged state. Many feared that the new
government formed in the BJD-BJP alliance would not last long.
Opposition groups called for a boycott of the assembly. But Naveen
Babu was successful in dealing with the opposition.
Not once, but five times as a chief minister he has established
himself as an undisputed leader in state politics. In the 1980s, the
state saw an interesting battle on the political landscape, that of Biju
versus Janaki. After the 1980-90 Congress rule and the 1990-95
Biju Patnaik’s Janata Dal government, the Congress again took over
Odisha politics in 1995-2000.
With the decline of the Janata Dal across the country and after the
sudden death of Biju Babu in 1997, a strong opposition was needed
in Odisha to confront the Congress. At this point of time, Biju Janata
Dal (BJD) was born. Coming from a non-political background,
Naveen Babu led the party. No one from Naveen Babu or his family
had been involved in direct or indirect politics until Biju
Patnaik, a well-known figure in Odisha politics.
In the end, Naveen Babu was forced to enter Odisha politics.
The need for a new leader in Odisha politics was exactly
what forced him to inherit Bijubabu’s legacy.
Naveen Babu, a novice politician, was elected to the Lok
Sabha. He later became a cabinet minister in the NDA
government. He has not returned to politics since. Naveen
took charge of the devastated state of Odisha in the aftermath
of the 1999 super cyclone.
In the previous Congress government which saw three
successive chief ministers- Janaki Ballav Patnaik, Giridhar
Gomango and finally Hemananda Bishwal – starvation
deaths in Kalahandi, Koraput, Balangir and Nuapada made
Odisha nationally known. But all these districts are now on
the path of development, even supplying food grains to other
states. Since March 5, 2000, Naveenbabu has established
himself as the undisputed leader , and has bulldozed the name

of the opposition. It is true that Odisha has changed a lot in these 21
years, but Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister has not changed. His
simple dress, gentle demeanor and simple lifestyle have given her a
new identity. Even today, he is far from acquiring wealth, a luxurious
lifestyle and glory. Undoubtedly, he is a unique Chief Minister in the
whole country while winning the trust of the people and by adopting
such a simplistic lifestyle.
Naveen Patnaik is an invincible leader and Chief Minister and has
created a political history of sorts .

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