Odisha: 'BJD Will Meet The Fate Of The Kuru Dynasty': Prabhat Biswal Hits Back At Naveen After Joining BJP
I am surprised that a leader like Naveen Babu has chosen to describe me in such terms: Prabhat Biswal
BHUBANESWAR: A bitter exchange between former Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik and former party heavyweight Prabhat Biswal escalated on Tuesday, exposing widening cracks within the regional outfit that ruled the state uninterrupted for 24 years before losing power to the BJP in the 2024 Assembly elections.
A day after Naveen Patnaik publicly described Biswal as a “traitor” for switching allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the veteran leader launched a sharp counterattack, invoking characters from the Mahabharata and warning that the BJD would “meet the fate of the Kuru dynasty” if its leadership continued to ignore honest advice.
Speaking to reporters, Biswal indirectly likened Naveen Patnaik to Dhritarashtra, the blind king of the Mahabharata, alleging that the BJD leadership had shut its ears to well-intentioned counsel.
“I am surprised that a leader like Naveen Babu has chosen to describe me in such terms. Dhritarashtra ignored Lord Krishna's advice, and the Kuru dynasty was destroyed as a result. If the BJD continues on its present path without introspection, it will meet the same fate,” Biswal said.
Rejecting the allegation that he had betrayed the party, Biswal asserted that he had always stood by “truth, honesty and righteousness.”
“I have never betrayed anyone. Some conspirators ensured that I was sent to jail. Naveen Babu does not understand the reality. The pain and humiliation suffered by many senior leaders ultimately contributed to the BJD's defeat in the 2024 elections,” he said.
Biswal's remarks came a day after Naveen Patnaik addressed party workers from Cuttack district at his residence, Naveen Niwas, where he criticised the former MP for deserting the party despite the support extended to him during difficult times.
Patnaik said the BJD had stood firmly behind Biswal after his arrest in connection with the multi-crore chit fund scam and had even fielded his son as a party candidate in the elections.
“Despite Prabhat Biswal being jailed in the chit fund case, the party supported him and later gave an election ticket to his son. Yet both father and son betrayed the trust reposed in them,” Naveen said.
Biswal, a former BJD MLA and influential leader from Cuttack district, recently joined the BJP in the presence of senior state leaders, marking another setback for the BJD as it attempts to rebuild after its 2024 electoral defeat since coming to power in 2000.
The latest verbal duel is being viewed by political observers as a reflection of the growing unease within the BJD following its loss of power. Since the 2024 elections, several former ministers, legislators and senior functionaries have either left the party or openly expressed dissatisfaction with its leadership and organisational functioning.