Naveen Patnaik’s aide V.K. Pandian quits active politics after BJD leader clears who his successor is

V.K. Pandian, close aide of former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik, announced his retirement from active politics on Sunday after the party’s poor performance in the recently concluded Odisha assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Pandian said he never aimed for power and his only motive for entering politics was to help the BJD leader in the elections.

In a video statement, Pandian said, “My intent of joining politics was only to assist Naveen Babu... Now I consciously decide to withdraw from active politics.” Regretting the party’s loss in the recently concluded polls, the former IAS officer hailing from Tamil Nadu said he was sorry if the campaign narrative against him had any role to play in the party’s loss in recently held polls.

“I’m sorry if I have hurt anyone in this journey. I’m sorry this campaign narrative against me has had a part to play in BJD’s loss (in the election). I apologise to the entire BJD parivar and all Karmis for this,” he said.

Pandian had earlier said he would quit politics if Naveen Patnaik was not re-elected as chief minister after the assembly polls. Pandian said he received immense love from the people of the state from the day he set foot in Odisha. The close aide of Patnaik took voluntary retirement from public services recently and joined BJD. He was made chairman of Patnaik’s 5T project after he joined the party.

Pandian said coming from a very humble background, becoming an IAS officer was his dream and to date, properties he inherited from his grandparents are the only assets he and his family own. Pandian added he joined the chief minister’s office twelve years ago and took voluntary retirement from civil services only to help Patnaik in the polls.

“I reiterate, I came to politics to help my mentor Naveen Patnaik ahead of the gruelling elections and I had no desire for a specific political post or power. Therefore, I was neither a candidate nor was holding any post in BJD,” he said.

Patnaik on Saturday cleared the air about his successor and said Pandian was not his successor and that the people of Odisha would decide who his successor would be. Calling criticism against Pandian unfortunate, Patnaik said, “There has been some criticism of Pandian. This is unfortunate. He joined the party and has not held any post. He did not contest the elections from any constituency. I have always clearly said when asked about my successor that it is not Pandian. I repeat that the people of Odisha will decide my successor."

The five-term chief minister added, “As an officer, he (Pandian) did an excellent job in different fields in the last 10 years, be it during two cyclones or the COVID-19 pandemic. After this good work, he retired from the bureaucracy and joined the BJD, and contributed largely by doing excellent work. He is a person of integrity and honesty and should be remembered for that," Patnaik said.

There has been widespread resentment among the party leaders and workers against Pandian, who blamed the bureaucrat-turned-politician from Tamil Nadu for the party's poor showing in the elections.

-with inputs from agencies.