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His victory was never in doubt, so Naveen Patnaik is under more pressure to live up to expectations

By Ruben Banerjee

They may not have been more than coincidences. But two things that Naveen Patnaik did last week immediately after being sworn in as Orissa's new chief minister could be described as his defining acts. He drove from the Raj Bhavan straight to downtown Bhubaneswar to unveil a statue of his late father Biju Patnaik. And shortly after that he visited the temple town of Puri to pay his obeisance to Lord Jagannath, the state's reigning deity.

By no means can Naveen be faulted for either. In large measure, he owes the victory of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)-BJP combine in the just concluded assembly elections to nostalgia and his father's legacy. The unveiling of the statue was surely an expression of gratitude. He had more compelling reasons to visit the Jagannath temple. Having inherited a financially bankrupt state which is perennially high on deprivation and low on hopes, Naveen would also need divine help to deliver as chief minister.

Naveen outlined his priorities in his first meeting with top bureaucrats. They happen to be long and daunting: reconstructing a cyclone-devastated state, developing the poorest regions of Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput, creating an investment-friendly state to attract investors, putting projects on the fast track and embarking on an austerity drive. "He has already set the right goals," explains Nalini Mohanty, a senior cabinet minister in the state. Though Naveen heads a 25-member ministry, the onus to deliver is squarely on him since the popular mandate was essentially for him. Unlike cricket, where a captain is only as good as the team, Naveen has to be much better. "He is the bottom line," says a senior bureaucrat.

Despite his relative freshness and inexperience, Naveen is emerging as a shrewd politician. He realises that the people have voted for him and he would have to cop the blame if the Government fails. By the same token, he is reluctant to share the credit as well. "It's as if he has matured overnight. Or at least, he is taking sane political advice," points a trusted aide.

By winning only 38 of the 64 seats it contested, the BJP has forfeited much of its bargaining power in the new dispensation and was denied a deputy chief ministership. Party legislators are now accusing central BJP observer Pyarelal Khandelwal of dispensing personal favours while distributing tickets before the election rather than being guided by party interests. Khandelwal's bid to pass the blame on Union Home Minister L.K. Advani ("Advaniji chahtey hai") has few takers, the result being spiralling dissensions in the party.

With his ally faltering, Naveen's chances have only brightened. Not long ago, genuine fears were being expressed that the BJP would eat up the BJD sooner or later. Now that the elections have established the BJD as the senior partner, Naveen only has to perform and conquer the hunger, poverty and under-development in Orissa. If that happens, he could himself become unconquerable.

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