Things will never be same without Biju Patnaik in Orissa. He bestrode the states political firmament like a colossus for nearly half a century. A pilot turned industrialist turned politician, his mercurial personality was multi-faceted. At six feet two inches he literally, as well as figuratively, towered over his rivals, whether in or out of power. His indomitable character, awesome vitality, profound charisma and shocking forthrightness are the stuff legends are made of. They formed the ingredients that truly made him the only mass leader of the state. In popular Orissa imagination, be symbolised the spirit of ancient Kalinga and its fond hope of resurgence in contemporary political incarnation in the Delhi durbar. No wonder, he always represented the voice of the state effectively in various national and international arena, despite spending most part of his political career in the opposition camp.
Born as Bijayananda Patnaik to a well to do family on March five, 1916, Biju, as he was popularly known, underwent schooling at Christ Collegiate and Ravenshaw Collegiate schools, Cuttack. His father, Laxminarayan Patnaik, was the dewan of the erstwhile feudatory state of Paralakhemundi, bordering Andhra Pradesh. He was the second son among the siblings of two brothers and a sister. His baptism to freedom struggle came in early 30s during the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Orissa. Patniak, then only 16 and still in school, had gone to see Mahatma who was staying at Swaraj Bhawan, Cuttack, but was intercepted and severely beaten up by a British police officer on the way. Mahatma was upset about the incident and rebuked the concerned police officer. The humiliation only reinforced the sense of patriotism in young Biju.
The same year Biju undertook a cycling expedition from Cuttack to Peshwar, now in Pakistan, along with two friends, one of the many such daring feats he was to repeat later. While studying for a B.Sc at Ravenshaw College, Biju enrolled in the Delhi Flying Club and completed the course of pilot and navigator. During his school and college career, he was always known for his exploits in sports and adventure.
Patnaik joined the Royal Air Force during the second World war and soon rose to become the chief of air transport command of its Indian operations. In early 40s he came into contact with several firebrand freedom fighters like Jaya Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyut Patwardhan, Aruna Asaf Ali and Ashok Mehta, most of whom had been waging struggle against the Britishers from underground. Though Biju did not openly join their ranks, in daring covert operations he often ferried these leaders from one place to another under the guise of his official sorties.
However, in January, 1943 he was caught in the act by the Britishers and jailed for two years. On his release Biju took an active interest in industrialisation of Orissa. He built up an Industrial Complex at Choudwar which consisted of such units as Kalinga Tubes, Orissa Textile Mills and Electrolux Refrigerator, all brand leaders in their respective fields then. He also set up a private airline under the banner of Kalinga Airways and a pig iron plant at Barbil.
Biju had a great admirer in the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had been impressed by his dynamism, fearlessness and daredevilry in 1948 when the famous Indonesian leader Sukarno approached Nehru for help to rescue some of his compatriot freedom fighters besieged by the Dutch colonial soldiers at Jog Jakarta. Nehru entrusted the job to Biju. Responding to this request Biju flew to Singapore enroute Indonesia. While at Singapore he was threatened that his plane would shot down if he dared to land in their colony. In this inimitable style Biju delivered a counter threat that all Dutch planes flying over India will be brought down if he was harmed and then sent a message to Nehru to that effect. He successfully airlifted Mohammed Haita and several other leaders of the Indonesian freedom struggle and flew them back to Delhi for a meeting with Nehru and Indonesian people who in recognition of his contribution to their freedom struggle conferred the highest honour of Bhumiputra on him later.
In 1961, Biju as the president of Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee, led the party to absolute majority in the state Assembly for the first time after independence and became the Chief Minister. During his short stint of two years as Chief Minister, he had prepared a document entitled Decade of Destiny which was considered to be the blue print for the industrialisation of the state.
Despite the Centres refusal to provide assistance, Biju steam rolled all objections to set up a major port at Paradeep by diverting funds from the meagre resources of the state. He was also instrumental in setting up of a unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd at Sunabeda and a number of technical and educational institutes in the state. In 1963, Biju relinquished chief ministership to undertake organisational work under the Kamraj plan.
During the Indo-China war of 1962, Biju was appointed as defence advisor to Prime Minister by Nehru. His stock was so high in the national political scene that when the question After Nehru who? haunted the nation in view of Nehrus failing health, Biju figured among the possible few successors.
However, he was consigned to political limbo following the assumption of Prime ministership by Indira Gandhi. He floated a regional outfit under the banner of Utkal Congress which formed a coalition government in the state in 1971 with Swatantra Party. Ironically Biju himself lost from all the four assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency that he contested in the election. But like a Phoenix he rose from the ashes to win a byelection to the Assembly the next year. as fortune would have it, the Chief Minister mantle eluded him again as the coalition government collapsed shortly thereafter.
A bitter critic of Indira Gandhi, Biju was jailed during Emergency. In 1977 general elections, he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time on a Janta Party ticket and became the steel and minses Minister in the Morarjee Desai cabinet. Following a split in Janta Party, he played a crucial role in installation of Charan Singh as the Prime Minister and continued with the same portfolio in the new government.
He was the only opposition leader to get elected to Lok Sabha from Kendrapara in Orissa in 1980 polls which was swept by the Congress. He repeated the feat in 1985 though he preferred to quit his Lok Sabha seat in favour of his Bhubaneswar Assembly one which he contested simultaneously. For next five years he played his role as the opposition leader in the state Assembly to the hilt and led his party, the Janta Dal, from the Front to a land slide victory in the 1990 Assembly elections. Biju, the most adored mass leader of the sate, became Chief Minister for the second time after a gap of 29 years.
His second coming was however full of pitfalls which he found difficult to negotiate with the advancing age, failing health and a slothful bureaucracy arrayed against him. He was left stranded pursuing his long cherished dream of setting up of a second steel plant in the state and the administration almost came to a standstill with internecine intra-party factional fueds taking the centrestage. A frustrated Biju gave a call to the public to beat up government servants indulging in impropriety anywhere in the state. He also sought to shift part of the blame for stagnancy in administration to the Centre and created a flutter stating that Orissa would secede from the country if it was continued to be neglected. He later subdued his tone and demanded free autonomy for the state.
Nonetheless, during his tenure Biju, the visionary that he was not only extended his complete support to economic reforms process and rupee convertibility move of the Centre, but also unleashed a pathbreaking power sector reforms process in the state.
However, with his party colleagues working at cross purposes, the Left allies deserting him mid-way and moreover, the electorates feeling disillusioned, his party had to bite the dust in 1995 elections which Congress won by gaining absolute majority in the Assembly.
A dejected man, Biju bid finally farewell to state politics when he decided to quit the Assembly seat and retain the Lok Sabha one following the last years general election.
But little de he bargain for what was in store for him at Delhi. In the fast changing political equations, Biju, who was once famed as a King maker and Crisis Manager in Janta Dal circle, found himself to be an irrelevant entity. But in a state starved for charismatic leaders, Biju the legend is sure to outlive Biju and man. His ups and downs in the national politics in the state. And his demise like that of his mentor Nehru has triggered speculations within the state Dal After Biju who? Not an inconsiderable section believe it is deluge.
Seven-day mourning declared
Our Correspondent BHUBANESWAR
The Orissa government yesterday declared a seven-day mourning to pay tribute to Biju Patnaik. The government also declared a holiday yesterday and started preparations for the last rites of the departed leader which is scheduled to be performed today.
According to office of the Chief Minister, the body would be brought to the state by a defence plane today and kept for public view for some time before the last rites were performed in consultation with the family members. A pall of gloom today descended throughout the state as the news of the death of Biju Patnaik spread like wildfire. All the government offices, educational institutions and business establishments remained closed as a mark of respect to the departed soul. The government also cancelled the conference of district collectors slated for today.
