VK Pandian stop 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 lively politics.
Mr Pandian, who stop the civil service and joined the BJD in November final 12 months, launched a video message through 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 individuals. “(From) the day I set foot within the soil of Odisha, I’ve acquired immense love and affection from the individuals of Odisha,” he stated, including that he has tried to work very exhausting for the individuals 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 received is for a lifetime. His grace, management, ethics and above all, the love for the individuals 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, ladies empowerment, infrastructure and in addition in temple and heritage initiatives,” 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 anyway, for a particular 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 throughout 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 in addition within the BJD’s setback within the Lok Sabha polls. The BJD scored a clean on this common election, an enormous 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 way in which 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 exhausting for 12 years with concentrate on Naveen Patnaik and Odisha. “The one property I’ve is what I inherited from my grandparents. I or my instant household haven’t any different property anyplace on the earth. The most important 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 lively politics. I’m sorry if I’ve harm 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 your entire Biju parivar, together with all employees. 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 may very well be his successor. “Mr Pandian joined the get together however has not had any posts. I’ve all the time clearly stated that once they requested me about my successor, I stated clearly that it was not Mr. Pandian. I repeat it. The individuals of Odisha will resolve my successor,” he declared.