Book Excerpt — Biju Patnaik: The Rainmaker of Opposition Politics

Transitioning from pilot to freedom fighter, businessman to politician, Biju Patnaik was a multifaceted leader and towering regional icon who has left behind an impactful legacy. Step into the riveting saga of Biju Patnaik, the icon of resurgent opposition politics, through this compelling biography, Biju Patnaik: The Rainmaker of Opposition Politics. His journey, from leaving office in 1963 to reclaiming it in 1990, epitomized resilience and rebirth in politics.

Whether as chief minister or Opposition leader, Patnaik’s unwavering connection with the people of Odisha defied conventional politics. Navigating triumphs and trials, Patnaik wielded immense influence, shaping the state’s destiny. His adept manoeuvring from the state secretariat to the corridors of power in Delhi showcased unparalleled strategic prowess, strengthening Opposition alliances and advocating for a credible alternative to the dominant Congress. Biju had tremendous faith in Opposition unity, considering it vital for the survival of democracy in the country. A visionary and unifier, Biju Patnaik’s legacy as a stalwart of Opposition unity echoes through the captivating pages of this stirring account.

Here's an excerpt from Bhaskar Parichha's Biju Patnaik: The Rainmaker of Opposition Politics

5 MARCH 1990 

Biju Patnaik celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday on this date. This was also the day when there was a great deal of post-election frenzy. Biju took the oath of office and secrecy as the fourteenth chief minister (CM) of Odisha (then Orissa) on the sprawling lawns of the Raj Bhawan. No Indian politician, regardless of his popularity, has ever been out of power for such a prolonged period of time and then returned to office. Biju resigned from his position as CM in 1963 and then returned to it in 1990. In a strange way, he was an example of a politician who, having remained politically obscure, rose to prominence. 

SECOND TIME LUCKY 

When Biju was not serving in the treasury benches, he assumed the role of leader of the Opposition. Whatever his position was, in government or outside it, Biju commanded the trust and favour of the people in a way that no one else in Odisha could have ever imagined. He was first elected by the people of Odisha in 1961. They did it again in 1990, for the second time in almost three decades. 

Biju won the 1961 Assembly election with the expectation of changing the destiny of the Odia people. But before he could settle down for business, he surrendered his power according to the Kamaraj Plan. After India's disastrous border war with China in 1962, the Kamaraj Plan-named after K. Kamaraj, the Congress president-called for the resignation of high-level national and state officials in order to rebuild the Congress at the grassroots level. 

For Biju, it was a short-lived victory in 1961. His first term as CM lasted only 27 months. The path he had to tread was difficult after he renounced authority. As a politician, he faced several ups and downs throughout his career, but always came out on top. 

When Biju was in power, the State Secretariat (renamed Lok Seva Bhawan), adjacent to the Vidhana Soudha, was the centre of abundant activity. When he was not in Bhubaneswar, Odisha Bhawan in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi was his centre of influence for making and unmaking prime ministers (PMs). No matter what, this act of political permutation and combination, which he performed with increased precision, contributed to the strength of a leader who was generally unrepentant about his failures. 

OPPOSITION UNITY 

Throughout his life, Biju dreamed big. When he was not dreaming, he was uniting all the fragile political elements known as the 'Opposition'. The passion with which he pursued Opposition politics in India was unparalleled. It was his avowed goal for years to develop an alternative to Indira Gandhi's Congress. Whether the Indian voters would be willing to accept the confluence of leaders from so many shades and colours, in order to offer a suitable alternative to the Congress party, nobody knew for certain. It was Biju Patnaik who symbolized the unity of the Opposition. 

During an occasion in 1988, the Janata Dal was born, serving as a countervailing force for the Congress. From a practical perspective, Janata Dal did not significantly differ from the conglomerate of 1977. The National Front was formed when the Janata Dal was still in the process of formation. With these successive events, the spirit of unity in the Opposition was reignited. It was not anticipated that this unity would endure. Even now, it is impossible to predict the outcome of any Opposition unity. 

A new era in Indian politics began with the formation of the National Front, which brought together a variety of regional parties and the Janata Dal. It was intended to defeat Rajiv Gandhi's government, which at that point had been plagued by scandal after scandal. Once again, the complexities of Opposition politics were put to the test. 

The Emergency of 1975 heralded the birth of the Janata Party with its four constituent parties—the Congress (Opposition), the Bharatiya Lok Dal, the Jana Sangh and the Socialist Party-combining to provide a broad platform for non-Congress political parties. A fitting response was intended towards Indira Gandhi and her infamous Emergency policies. 

Extracted with permission from Bhaskar Parichha's Biju Patnaik: The Rainmaker of Opposition Politics; published by Rupa Publications