KALKI: The Search for a Political Redeemer in Odisha

By |Sashi Sekhar Samanta |
In every era of turmoil, societies search for a redeemer—a force that cuts through chaos, corruption, decay, and confusion. In Indian mythology, that figure is Kalki, the final avatar who appears when darkness overwhelms order. Today, as Odisha’s political landscape undergoes a dramatic transformation, the metaphor of Kalki feels surprisingly relevant. The question that resonates across drawing rooms, village choupals, party offices, and digital forums is simple:
Who is the Kalki of Odisha’s political future?
Is it the reinvented BJD seeking rebirth after its electoral setback?  Is it the rising BJP, determined to claim both governance and ideological space? Is it a rediscovering Congress looking for a second life? Or is Odisha awaiting an entirely new force—an outsider or a breakaway group—who will redefine the state’s political destiny?
This editorial does not search for a divine saviour. Rather, it explores the political meaning of “Kalki”: the arrival of a necessary transformation when systems grow stagnant and unsustainable.
The End of One Yuga in Odisha Politics :  For nearly 25 years, Odisha lived in one political yuga—defined by the Biju Janata Dal and the unshakeable leadership of Naveen Patnaik. His governance became synonymous with stability, welfare, disaster management, and soft-spoken authority. But every cycle reaches a turning point. With the 2024 election loss, internal divisions, high-profile exits, and an ideological drift, the BJD is now confronting the inevitable: A yuga has ended. What emerges next will determine how Odisha’s next generation understands identity, development, and governance. 
Just as mythology describes the fading of dharma before Kalki arrives, Odisha’s politics too shows symptoms of disorder: Leaders abandoning long-held parties , Voters rejecting complacency, National parties expanding aggressively, Regional ideology weakening ,Public distrust rising.
In this churn, the longing for “Kalki”—a force of renewal—becomes not a mythological concept, but a political necessity.
BJD  Searching for Its Own Kalki :  For two decades, the BJD itself played the role of Kalki, bringing political purity against the corruption and instability of the 1990s. Today, however, the party is struggling with its new identity.
Is the party’s Kalki: A new generation leader? A structural reform that democratizes decision-making? A return to Biju Babu’s original ideology? Or an internal realignment that removes the accumulated political clutter?
The exodus of senior leaders—Bhartruhari Mahtab ,Sidhant Mahapatra, Debasis Samantaray, Amar Patnaik, and many more—reveals a party that has lost its ideological anchor. Supporters still respect Naveen Patnaik, but they also demand clarity: “Who leads the BJD after Naveen?” . “Is the party still Biju’s party?” . Unless the BJD reinvents itself, a new Kalki may not emerge from within—it may rise from outside.
BJP'  The Self-Proclaimed Kalki?  : The BJP sees itself as the natural successor of Odisha’s political transformation. With its expanding grassroots network, digital strategy, and aggressive entry into local leadership structures, the party positions itself as the modernising force the state needs. To many, the BJP appears as Kalki with a sword raised—ready to cut through complacency and bring “discipline and development.”
But there are challenges: Odisha’s cultural roots do not easily align with majoritarian narratives . The BJP’s leadership in the state lacks the emotional connection that Naveen’s politics cultivated . Internal factionalism remains unresolved .If the BJP wants to play the Kalki role, it must mirror Odisha’s social fabric—not impose a template imported from elsewhere.
Congress ' A Kalki Lost in Time : The Congress, once the natural alternative, now resembles a weary warrior waiting for destiny rather than forging it. Yet, political mythology teaches something importan. Kalki need not be new; it can be a rebirth of the old. If the Congress in Odisha rebuilds from the ground up—reviving its worker base, empowering local leadership, and shedding its inertia—it can reclaim relevance. But at present, it is more a silent spectator than a transformative force. The Emerging “New Option”: Odisha’s Unwritten Chapter . Perhaps the most interesting question is this: What if Odisha’s Kalki is someone we haven’t seen yet?
When senior leaders like Bhupinder Singh suggest forming “a new party,” when expelled or sidelined leaders begin gathering quietly in hotels, when ideological loyalists whisper that “BJD is no longer Biju’s BJD”—a new political possibility emerges.
A fresh regional party—rooted in Odia identity, free from past baggage, and appealing to both youth and traditional voters—could become the Kalki Odisha unconsciously seeks.
This option is gaining traction because: Voters are disillusioned with both national and regional status quo. A massive leadership vacuum exists .Younger voters want change but not extreme polarisation .Odisha’s emotional connection to its regional pride is still strong.If such a party forms—with credible leaders, clean image, and a clear ideology—it could reshape the political battlefield overnight.
So, Who Is the Kalki?  :  In mythology, Kalki appears when systems collapse under their own stagnation. In politics, Kalki is not a single person—it is a moment, a movement, a mindset change.
In Odisha today, Kalki could be:  A reformed BJD ,A confident and culturally aligned BJP, A revived Congress ,A new regional force ,Or even the voter—the most powerful avatar in any democracy ,Yes, the voter may be the real Kalki. It was the voter who ended a 25-year era. It will be the voter who decides whether Odisha seeks continuity, correction, or complete reinvention.
The Road Ahead: Awaiting the Avatar of Change, Odisha is now in a transitional yuga—uncertain, unpredictable, but full of potential. The arrival of Kalki does not mean destruction; it means renewal. It means the end of comfortable power and the birth of accountable governance.
Whether that Kalki rises from old bastions or new forces depends on: How parties reform ,How leaders reconnect ,How voters evaluate ,How Odisha imagines its future ,The great churn has begun.
The avatar will appear. Not from myth, but from democracy.  Until then, Odisha waits.