Law Kumar Mishra | Team TrickyScribe: In Bhubaneswar, former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik shared an unusually warm rapport with journalists—he considered them part of his extended family. Entry to his secretariat chamber was informal, often not requiring prior appointments.
Once, four journalists walked into his office, made themselves comfortable, and began chatting. Biju Babu briefly left the room and returned to find them munching on snacks.
Pointing to his five biscuit tins, he quipped, “Hey, did you guys just steal my biscuits?” They replied, “What can we do? You never offer them to us!”
From that day, tea and biscuits became a newsroom staple.
Rolling Interviews & Highway Exits
During an election campaign, a Delhi-based journalist met Patnaik for an interview at his Forest Park residence. The Chief Minister invited him into his iconic Kalinga Rath and the interview commenced while driving. Midway on the Cuttack highway, the journalist confirmed he had no more questions. Pat came the reply: “Then get off.”
Despite protests about being stranded, Patnaik had the vehicle stop and dropped him off—anecdotal evidence of the CM’s blunt yet memorable style.
When the Press Called Out Policy Recycling
At a press conference announcing a new industrial policy, a journalist highlighted similarities with an older policy under Janaki Ballabh Patnaik. “Sir, you’re just reading Janaki Babu’s policy with your photo pasted over his,” the journalist said.
Biju Patnaik paused the presser, studied the old document, and finding the claim accurate, walked out silently. He later thanked the journalist privately for pointing it out.
Quips, Accreditation & Classic Bollywood
At a Janata Dal press event, party president Ashok Das raised the issue of a journalist’s pending accreditation. Biju Patnaik responded with a Bollywood lyric:“Two years passed in longing, two more will pass in waiting.” The next day, he personally handed over the accreditation card.
A Steel Plant & a Playful Retort
When a female journalist questioned delays in building a second steel plant in Paradip, Patnaik responded with charm. He pinched her chin and said, “It’ll happen whenever you want. I’m going to Delhi tomorrow—come along if you’d like.”
Press Sensitivity & Personal Publishing
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, another former CM, was deeply sensitive about media portrayal. He ran two dailies—one in Odia and the other in English. Negative coverage, particularly from a Mumbai-based English weekly focusing on his personal life, upset him enough to seek legal recourse.
Odisha’s Tradition: Politicians with a Press Pass
Former CMs like Harekrushna Mahatab and Nandini Satpathy also published their own newspapers. Odisha’s political history is uniquely intertwined with journalism—a blend of governance and storytelling rarely seen elsewhere.
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