Naveen Patnaik elected Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly 

Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik is set to take on the role of Leader of the Opposition after an extensive 24-year tenure in power.

Mr. Patnaik was unanimously elected leader of the BJD Legislature Party at a meeting held at Sankha Bhawan, party’s headquarters.

“Newly elected party MLAs have elected me as BJD Legislature party leader. Prasanna Acharya will be the deputy leader of the party in the Assembly. Former Speaker Pramila Mallick will be the BJD’s chief whip while senior BJD leader Pratap Keshari Deb will hold deputy chief whip’s position,” said Mr. Patnaik here on Wednesday.

In the 2024 election, the BJP had won 78 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly while the BJD’s seat share plunged to 51 after winning more than 100 seats in the previous three elections. Mr. Patnaik will be probably the strongest Leader of the Opposition in decades with the backing of 51 MLAs.

Key decision

The election of Mr. Patnaik may prove critical for the regional party as the former Chief Minister has single-handedly steered the party since its inception in December 1997. As no BJD leader has ever come closer to the stature of Mr. Patnaik, it would have been difficult for the party to rally behind any leader other than the former Chief Minister.

Mohan Charan Majhi, Naveen Patnaik and others take oath as members of Odisha Assembly

Moreover, majority of BJD leaders do not have the experience of sitting in the Opposition. From grassroots to top hierarchy, BJD leaders have operated due to the party’s hold on power. Political analysts said the party could face disintegration without a stable leadership.

Mr. Patnaik, both as president of the BJD and Leader of the Opposition, is set to play a critical role in holding the party cadres together. Despite the electoral loss, the veteran leader still commands respect and popularity across the State. His dignified and understated approach earned him praise. It was evident during the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected MLAs in the Assembly. MLAs irrespective of party affiliations were seen showing deference to the former Chief Minister in the well of the House.