Odisha: VK Pandian not seen in action a day after party’s drubbing
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-06-06 06:28 GMT
BHUBANESWAR: V Karthikeyan Pandian, a Tamil Nadu-born IAS officer-turned BJD politician, whose alleged “over-interference” in Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) party affairs and in the Odisha government’s day-today- activities allegedly spelt catastrophe for the party in the just concluded Lok Sabha and assembly elections was nowhere to be seen in action all though the day on Wednesday,.
On Tuesday, the BJD — which ruled the state since 2000 — lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It could win only 51 of the 147 seats.
Pandian, who was always seen at the side of outgoing chief minister Naveen Patnaik since 2011 when he entered the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) as his private secretary, rose to power of eminence with the blessings of Naveen. Of late, — a couple of years ago, he sidelined all the top leaders of the BJD and positioned himself as the next man in command after CM Patnaik.
Although the BJD had declared a 40-member star campaigners list, only Naveen and Pandian were seen campaigning together across the 147 assembly segments and 21 parliamentary constituencies.
In the last few years, not a single person was able to meet CM Naveen Patnaik allegedly without the prior sanction of Pandian. However, on Wednesday, Pandian was not seen in Naveen Niwas, the residence of the CM, when the newly elected 51 MLAs and senior leader of the party met Naveen.
Curious journalists who wanted to take reactions from Pandian for the party’s electoral debacle, found gates of government quarters locked from outside.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and all other top BJP leaders had portrayed Pandian’s meddling in governance system and BJD’s party affairs as a systematic plot to usurp power taking advantage of Naveen’s “falling health.” Besides, they depicted the bureaucrat’s much claimed drive for beautification of temples and other religious structures by demolishing the age-old structure around them as an attempt to muzzle the Odia Asmita or Odia pride.
Besides, Pandian’s silence on the mysterious missing of Lord Jagannath’s Ratna Bhandar keys was also presented by the BJP leaders before the public as an “act of flaw and falling.’
On Tuesday, the BJD — which ruled the state since 2000 — lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It could win only 51 of the 147 seats.
Pandian, who was always seen at the side of outgoing chief minister Naveen Patnaik since 2011 when he entered the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) as his private secretary, rose to power of eminence with the blessings of Naveen. Of late, — a couple of years ago, he sidelined all the top leaders of the BJD and positioned himself as the next man in command after CM Patnaik.
Although the BJD had declared a 40-member star campaigners list, only Naveen and Pandian were seen campaigning together across the 147 assembly segments and 21 parliamentary constituencies.
In the last few years, not a single person was able to meet CM Naveen Patnaik allegedly without the prior sanction of Pandian. However, on Wednesday, Pandian was not seen in Naveen Niwas, the residence of the CM, when the newly elected 51 MLAs and senior leader of the party met Naveen.
Curious journalists who wanted to take reactions from Pandian for the party’s electoral debacle, found gates of government quarters locked from outside.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and all other top BJP leaders had portrayed Pandian’s meddling in governance system and BJD’s party affairs as a systematic plot to usurp power taking advantage of Naveen’s “falling health.” Besides, they depicted the bureaucrat’s much claimed drive for beautification of temples and other religious structures by demolishing the age-old structure around them as an attempt to muzzle the Odia Asmita or Odia pride.
Besides, Pandian’s silence on the mysterious missing of Lord Jagannath’s Ratna Bhandar keys was also presented by the BJP leaders before the public as an “act of flaw and falling.’