Former bureaucrat Sujata Raut’s decision to enter active politics and join the Biju Janata Dal(BJD) has pushed the Odisha based regional outfit into the limelight again. The development has become a major topic of discussion in the political corridors of the BJP ruled eastern India state because its widely believed that party supremo Naveen Patnaik, sooner or later will select her as his successor though in a recent statement the former chief minister insisted that he will be leading the party in the coming elections in the state. ‘’Sooner or later, Sujata would be selected as the new BJD president. It is just a matter of time’’, said a senior political observer based in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of the state.

            BJD currently is the state’s principal opposition party. The regional outfit was ousted from power by the BJP during the assembly elections in 2024 after ruling the state a record 24 long years consecutively.

             Speculations were rife in the state’s political circles about Sujata’s possible entry into the BJD fold since her resignation from the Indian Administrative Service(IAS) after the new BJP government took charge  of the state administration. She is the wife of V K Pandian, the all powerful former aide of the then chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Originally from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Pandian too had quit his Odisha cadre IAS job to join the BJD. However, the regional outfit’s unexpected dismal performance during the 2024 state assembly as well as Lok Sabha(the lower house of Indian Parliament) polls prompted him to announce a permanent break from politics.

             Political observers and analysts are divided on the fate of the BJD in the event of Sujata taking charge of the regional outfit. Some of them are of the view that there will be a split in the principal opposition party if Naveen Patnaik decided to handover the party to Sujata.

             ‘’Many BJD leaders including party legislators still believe that the regional outfit lost the 2024 assembly elections only because of Pandian. According to them, the party paid a very heavy price for the high profile former IAS officer’s ‘super chief minister’ image. If Naveen Patnaik decided to handover the party affairs to Sujata, the move may be perceived by disgruntled party members as Pandian’s backdoor entry into the party to take over the regional outfit which may ultimately lead to a revolt and split in the party. As such, the party has been witnessing rebel activities in regular intervals since 2024’’, said a senior political observer.

               However, there is another section of political analysts who have a different take on the issue. According to them, in the present circumstances the former lady bureaucrat is the best choice to replace Naveen Patnaik as the BJD chief.

               ‘’The seniors in the party have become too old. To grow and successfully take on the ruling BJP the party requires young leadership. Unfortunately, the available young leaders in the regional outfit so far miserably failed to prove themselves. She is well educated and had already proved herself as a good administrator during her IAS days. Therefore, she may prove to be an able successor to Naveen Patnaik’’ said an analyst

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