Analysis: Decoding Naveen Patnaik And BJD's Shock Odisha Defeat

The shocking results in Odisha mean Naveen Patnaik fell 73 days short of eclipsing Pawan Chamling as the longest-serving chief minister in India.

Although born in Odisha's Cuttack, Naveen Patnaik lived most of his life in a sprawling family estate in Lutyens' Delhi. The premium estate, located between Prithviraj Road and Aurangzeb Road, was bought by his father Biju Patnaik from the Maharaja of Jubbal, and once hosted global icons like Mick Jagger, Robert De Nero, Jackie Kennedy and Bruce Chatwin. Long before Mr Patnaik emerged as a political stalwart, this house was a sanctuary for the elite and the artistic of Delhi's socialite scene.

After his father's death in 1997, Naveen Patnaik relinquished the haute monde of the nation's capital, returned to Odisha and ruled as its chief minister for over 24 years.

Fast forward to 2024, and an unprecedented jolt for Naveen Babu, once considered invincible. The BJP ended the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)'s reign by not only securing 78 of the state's 147 assembly seats but also claiming 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats. With just 51 assembly seats and a complete wipeout in Lok Sabha polls, the BJD is reeling.