VK Pandian give up IAS final 12 months and joined the BJD
New Delhi:
Days after the BJD suffered a shock defeat within the Lok Sabha and Meeting elections in Odisha, former IAS officer and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik’s key aide VK Pandian has introduced that he’s quitting energetic politics.
Mr Pandian, who give up the civil service and joined the BJD in November final 12 months, launched a video message by which he stated he comes from a humble household and a small village. He stated his childhood dream was to affix the IAS and serve the folks. “(From) the day I set foot within the soil of Odisha, I’ve obtained immense love and affection from the folks of Odisha,” he stated, including that he has tried to work very laborious for the folks throughout the state.
Mr Pandian stated it has been an honour to work for Naveen Patnaik, who would have reached the milestone of being the nation’s longest-serving Chief Minister if the BJD returned to energy. “The expertise and studying I obtained is for a lifetime. His grace, management, ethics and above all, the love for the folks of Odisha all the time impressed me. His expectation from me was to implement his imaginative and prescient for Odisha and we efficiently crossed many milestones in well being, training, poverty discount, ports, funding, girls empowerment, infrastructure and likewise in temple and heritage tasks,” he stated.
Mr Pandian stated he left the IAS and joined the BJD to help his mentor Naveen Patnaik. “My solely intent was to assist him, as anybody would do for his mentor and household. I want to set straight sure perceptions and narratives. Maybe, it has been my shortcoming that I’ve not been in a position to successfully counter a few of these political narratives. I reiterate that I got here to politics to assist my mentor Naveen Patnaik forward of the gruelling elections and I had no want, in any respect, for a selected political publish or energy. That is why I used to be neither a candidate nor was I holding any publish in Biju Janata Dal,” he stated.
Among the many key causes behind BJD’s poor present on this election was an “outsider” notion about Mr Pandian, who wielded appreciable clout inside the BJD and the state’s administrative equipment. This notion, additional stoked by the BJP’s marketing campaign, is learnt to have performed a key position within the Meeting election outcomes and likewise within the BJD’s setback within the Lok Sabha polls. The BJD scored a clean on this common election, a large slide from its 2019 tally of 12. Within the Meeting election, its tally was down from 112 seats in 2019 to 51 this time, paving the best way for the BJP’s march to energy. There was additionally hypothesis that Mr Pandian was rising as Mr Patnaik’s political inheritor, a buzz the senior chief has trashed.
Mr Pandian stated he labored laborious for 12 years with deal with Naveen Patnaik and Odisha. “The one property I’ve is what I inherited from my grandparents. I or my rapid household don’t have any different property anyplace on this planet. The largest incomes in my lifetime has been the love and affection and goodwill of individuals of Odisha. My intent of becoming a member of politics was solely to help Naveen Babu and I’ve consciously determined to withdraw myself from energetic politics. I’m sorry if I’ve damage anybody on this journey. I’m sorry if this marketing campaign narrative in opposition to me has had a component to play in BJD’s loss. I apologise to the whole Biju parivar, together with all staff. My heartfelt gratitude to lakhs of Biju parivar members I’m related to,” he stated.
Mr Pandian signed off my saying that he’ll all the time pray for the prosperity of Odisha and “my guru Naveen Patnaik”.
Earlier, Mr Patnaik defended Mr Pandian in opposition to the criticism within the wake of the ballot outcomes. “There was some criticism of Mr Pandian. That is unlucky,” the veteran politician stated. Mr Patnaik additionally trashed rumours that Mr Pandian could possibly be his successor. “Mr Pandian joined the occasion however has not had any posts. I’ve all the time clearly stated that after they requested me about my successor, I stated clearly that it was not Mr. Pandian. I repeat it. The folks of Odisha will resolve my successor,” he declared.