Democrat with an authoritarian streak

Bhaskar Parichha's book beautifully captures the essence of Biju Patnaik - a man both impatient and irascible, fraught with passion, and a big-picture thinker who eschewed detail

Biju Patnaik: The Rainmaker of Opposition Politics

Author: Bhaskar Parichha

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Pages: 153

Price: Rs 295

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Of all the politicians of his generation, the life and times of Biju Patnaik is among the least explored, by academics and political historians alike. His role both in the Congress and the opposition was pivotal. Yet books on him in English can be counted on the fingers of two hands. This is a man who merited an obituary in The Economist that said: “It is worth writing about Biju Patnaik for at least two reasons. His long life can be