Can Naveen Patnaik's BJD make a comeback in Odisha? It's a tricky course

With a 40.22% vote share in Assembly polls, it remains Odisha's preeminent party but is untested in the Opposition space

The camaraderie between Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in focus last week at the swearing-in of Mohan Charan Majhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) first chief minister in Odisha, amid swirling questions over the regional party’s future following its recent electoral defeat.

Until just a fortnight ago, these two parties — once allies — were engaged in their fiercest battle yet, with Modi hinting at conspiracies surrounding the 77-year-old Patnaik’s health during public rallies. The victory of the BJP, which secured 78 seats in the 147-member Assembly, thwarted Patnaik’s bid to become