By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Undermining Biju Patnaik legacy and promoting non-Odia culture itself a major anti-Party activities of BJD President Naveen Patnaik himself.
Even though there are no documented or substantiated instances of Naveen Patnaik, as BJD president, engaging in “anti-party activities” as defined under typical party constitutions (for example actions like criticizing the party publicly, colluding with rivals, or undermining party unity, often referenced in BJD suspension orders citing Articles 21A(ii), 21A(iv), and 21D(f) of the BJD constitution).
As the party’s founder and long-time leader, Patnaik effectively sets and enforces the guidelines, and available records show him consistently suspending or expelling others for such violations to maintain discipline.
However, historical criticisms from political opponents, expelled members, and media reports have occasionally accused him of procedural irregularities or hypocrisy in party management. These are largely unsubstantiated allegations from dissidents or rivals, often during internal party conflicts, and do not constitute proven anti-party activities by Patnaik himself. Key examples include:
2012 Allegations by Pyari Mohan Mohapatra: A rebel BJD leader and former close aide claimed Patnaik violated the party constitution by illegally suspending him without due process. Mohapatra argued Patnaik was “unfit” for the presidency role due to alleged authoritarian control and lack of adherence to internal democratic norms. This stemmed from a failed “coup” attempt against Patnaik’s leadership, and Mohapatra was expelled.
2002 Claim by Expelled Leader: A former BJD member alleged Patnaik sought to amend the party constitution to become president for life, violating democratic principles within the party. This was dismissed by the party as baseless.
2017 Affidavit Controversy: Patnaik faced accusations of submitting a “fake” affidavit to the Election Commission misrepresenting his 2014 election expenses (claiming Rs 13.5 lakh from the party via RTGS, while BJD records showed Rs 10 lakh via cheque). A complaint was filed under the Representation of the People Act, but it did not directly tie to BJD constitution violations and was not pursued as an anti-party issue.
General Criticisms of Leadership Style (Various Sources, 2024-2025): Opponents like the BJP and Congress have accused Patnaik of hypocrisy for suspending members over “anti-party activities” (like recent cases involving MLAs Arvind Mohapatra and Sanatan Mahakud) while allegedly allowing internal favoritism or failing to address party crises, such as not grooming successors or countering BJP narratives effectively during elections. These are political attacks rather than formal violations of the BJD constitution.
No recent (post-2020) credible reports or legal findings indicate Patnaik has violated party guidelines. Sources from across the political spectrum (like BJP-aligned media, opposition critiques, and neutral outlets) emphasize his role in upholding discipline, with suspensions often praised as decisive action against corruption or disloyalty.
