What is the full form of BJD?

Introduction

BJD or the Biju Janata Dal is one of the important political parties in Odisha which is led by Naveen Patnaik and was founded in 1997. A new era started in Odisha’s politics with the foundation of the Biju Janata Dal. Since its emergence, the party has played a great role in state politics.

Under Naveen Patnaik's leadership, the BJD party has continued to be successful because of the development programs it has enacted and its dedication to anti-corruption. This article briefly will discuss the Biju Janata Dal.

History of BJD

In order to offer an alternative political organization in Odisha, the BJD was founded. The Janata Dal state unit began to show factions after Biju Patnaik's passing. A portion of the state Janata Dal was eager to build a coalition opposition front against the Congress in the election that would include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the 1998 Lok Sabha election, Biju Patnaik's son Naveen Patnaik contested. A.U. Singh Deo and Prasanna Acharya, two MLAs from Western Odisha, publicly endorsed Naveen's leadership. Taking into account the local conditions in the state, these leaders wanted to do everything to defeat Congress.

Ashok Das, the head of the Janata Dal in the State Legislative Assembly, and Srikant Jena were opposed to the idea of a broad coalition with the BJP. Since Janata Dal's national leadership rejected his idea to work with the BJP to defeat Congress at the state level, Naveen left the party. In the middle of December 1997, the State Janata Dal rebels were preparing to form a local political party- The Dal Biju. With Ashok Das' resignation as the leader of the opposition in the State Legislative Assembly on December 14, 1997, the crisis inside the State Janata Dal took an unusual turn.

Then, in order to prevent a split, the members of the State Janata Dal decided to name Naveen Patnaik as the leader of the state party unit. The dissidents announced their decision to create the Janata Dal Biju, a local organization. As president, Naveen Patnaik led this faction and claimed the backing of 29 out of the 43 Janata Dal MLAs.

Subsequently, the Janata Dal Biju leaders, under the direction of Naveen Patnaik, staged a dharna in front of the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly's residence. Even though the house had been adjourned ‘sine die’, they demanded that the State Legislative Assembly recognize their breakaway faction. Then, on December 19, 1997, the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly acknowledged the Janata Dal breakaway party, formally establishing the split. Moreover, on December 26, 1997, the state-level Biju Janata Dal party was founded, with Naveen Patnaik serving as its President.

Leaders of BJD

Patnaik and his partners, who were all formerly seasoned Janata Dal politicians, founded the BJD. At first, the Janata Dal's primary supporters included people like Dilip Ray, Bijay Mohapatra, Prasanna Acharya, Ananga Uday Singh Deo, Damador Routray, and a few others.

Party Organisation

Throughout his two consecutive stints as Chief Minister, Patnaik has already polished his image. Many people were captivated by his ideals, tenacity, clean image, and hard work. Indeed, Patnaik and his allies formed tight bonds with their supporters. They erected support systems, engaged in rivalry, participated in election campaigns, and rallied the populace.

The success of the BJD party is largely due to Naveen Patnaik's central leadership. Being the BJD leader with the largest following, Patnaik is without a doubt the most well-liked. He created the party organization throughout his lengthy tenure as the BJD party's president, and the majority of the prominent members are individuals who benefited from his support. Patnaik values government employees more than members of his own party. Yet, he maintains strict control over the bureaucracy. He is the only Chief Minister in the nation to have removed politics from the political process. He doesn't even convene a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee for ticket distribution.

Policies and Ideology

BJD emphasizes Odisha's underdevelopment and poverty. In terms of support from Brahmins, Yadav, Khandayat, and Other Backward Castes, the BJD party is more popular (OBC). While comparing the voting patterns of the various classes in Odisha, the rich and middle-class voters have preferred the BJD over voters from other classes. Voters from the upper, middle, and lower classes must have found its anti-Congressism, anti-corruption, secularism, and pro-state advancement themes to be compelling. The BJD also positioned itself as the politically secular party in Odisha, protecting Muslim and Christian minorities.

Conclusion

BJD through the efforts of Naveen Patnaik has achieved new heights. It is one of the strongest political parties in Odisha. The party did not have any ideology during its inception but only the developmental agenda. Later, through its policies and strategies of expanding its support base all over Odisha, the party created new ideologies.

FAQs

Q1. Write about the aims of the BJD.

Ans: In order to establish a clear and transparent administration in the state, the party vehemently demanded reformation and reorganization of the administrative apparatus. This was done in order to bridge the gap between the government and the general populace and help them feel like an integral part of the administrative system.

Q2. How do you describe the leadership of the BJP?

Ans: The BJD's political leadership falls into the traditional-modern category. It aimed to preserve a balance between the traditional leadership of the erstwhile Janata Dal leaders and the leadership of those who had joined the party organization after its inception.

Q3. Write about the principles of BJD.

Ans: Founded on the principles of social justice, individual freedom, and a society free from all forms of exploitation, the BJD promised to include the right to labor as a fundamental right in the constitution.