Ground Zero Report on BJD
My Image My Mask... The BJD was formed in late 90s carved out of erstwhile Janata Dal, while the state was ruled by unpopular Congress party. However a handful of leaders chalked out a plan to engineer an alliance with BJP against the wish of few senior leaders. In the national politics BJP was then a rising sun so the new party's alliance with BJP proved to be a all out success sweeping the LS altogether in its favor. Then BJD virtually replaced its parent party Janata Dal with most of its leaders and cadres jumping into the brand new party. Eventually the alliance won the state election held in the same year. In the meanwhile, otherwise new Naveen Patnaik with his close associate Pyari Mohan Mohapatra strengthen their cadre base and eliminated strong leaders like Bijay Mohapatra, and Dillip Ray (also the founder members) as they were threat to the former. BJD successfully sold Naveen's clean image while defaming rivals both within and outside the party, while the pa...