Odisha Assembly Elections 2024: Naveen Patnaik’s 24-Year Tenure as Odisha CM Ends with Massive Electoral Defeat

In a significant political shift, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik resigned after a staggering defeat in both the State Assembly and Parliamentary elections. On Wednesday, Patnaik submitted his resignation to Odisha Governor Raghubar Das at the Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, marking the end of his 24-year-long leadership.

The BJD, which had held power in Odisha since 1997, was ousted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ending Patnaik’s long reign. The BJP secured a decisive victory, winning 78 seats in the 147-seat assembly, while the BJD managed only 51 seats, far short of the 74-seat majority mark. The Indian National Congress secured 14 seats.

The BJP also performed exceptionally well in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 20 out of the 21 parliamentary seats in the state, with the remaining seat going to the Congress.

Naveen Patnaik’s unexpected political career began with the formation of the BJD, a party named after his father, former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik. Patnaik entered politics through a victory in the 1998 Lok Sabha bypoll, representing his father’s constituency of Aska.

Following the BJD’s success in the 2000 Assembly elections, where it formed a coalition with the BJP, Patnaik resigned from his position in the Union Cabinet to become the Chief Minister of Odisha. Since then, he has been the second longest-serving Chief Minister in India, after Sikkim’s Pawan Kumar Chamling.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, counted on Tuesday, revealed significant political shifts nationwide. According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats, a notable drop from its 2019 tally of 303 seats. Conversely, the Congress showed strong growth, securing 99 seats. The opposition INDIA bloc surpassed expectations by winning over 230 seats, presenting a formidable challenge.

Despite the drop in seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term. However, the BJP will now need to rely on coalition partners, including JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, as it fell 32 seats short of the 272-seat majority mark. This marks the first time since the BJP’s rise to power in 2014 that it has not secured a majority on its own.

The conclusion of Naveen Patnaik’s tenure and the shifting political landscape underscore a pivotal moment in Odisha’s and India’s political history.