Naveen Patnaik led BJD to a landslide win in the Orissa Assembly polls after snapping lies with long-time ally BJP in the state, which was rocked by scams, farmers suicides and Naxal violence during the year.
The BJP, which shared power with BJD for a decade in the state, was routed as it could won only six assembly seats and failed to send a single member to Lok Sabha.
BJD grabbed a lion's share of 103 seats in the 147-member assembly and Patnaik became the chief minister for the
third successive term.
The severing of ties with BJP was seen by analysts as a move by BJD to bolster its secular credentials. It then
forged ties with Left Parties, which had been opposing his pet industrial projects including POSCO's mega steel plant near Paradip, and a seat adjustment with NCP.
The government came in for criticism due to a mining scam allegedly involving illegal lifting of iron ore and
manganese by a company in collusion with officials in Keonjhar district. Irregularities to the tune of over Rs 600 crore were detected and about 10 people, including officials, arrested besides registering of nearly a dozen cases.
Another embarrassing development for BJD during the year was farmer suicides, hitherto unheard of in Orissa. While Opposition parties alleged suicide by over 40 farmers due to crop failure, lack of irrigation, pest attacks and debts, the government attributed the deaths to family disputes.
{{/usCountry}}Another embarrassing development for BJD during the year was farmer suicides, hitherto unheard of in Orissa. While Opposition parties alleged suicide by over 40 farmers due to crop failure, lack of irrigation, pest attacks and debts, the government attributed the deaths to family disputes.
{{/usCountry}}The year also saw a spurt in violence unleashed by Maoists.