VKPandian: The man who saved the people of Odisha from the devastation of two deadly storms, himself got destroyed in the first political storm

New Delhi : VK Pandian, a confidant of former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, on Sunday announced his/her retirement from active politics. Pandian’s announcement comes at a time when the Biju Janata Dal suffered a huge setback in the Odisha Assembly and Lok Sabha elections a few days ago. This development comes after Patnaik’s statement in which he/she claimed that Pandian is not his/her ‘successor’. The people of the state will decide about this. Pandian announced his/her decision to quit active politics through a video message.

Pandian remained in discussion during elections

Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held simultaneously in Odisha. Pandian was the main campaigner of the party in these elections as well as the main strategist. This was the reason why during the elections, along with the CM, VK Pandian was also on the target of the opposition. he/she was called the successor of Naveen Patnaik. The opposition even alleged that he/she had held Naveen Babu hostage. he/she was also accused of being a super CM. Earlier as an IAS officer, Pandian did pioneering work in many areas. he/she was also praised a lot for this. In the year 2002, he/she got his/her first posting as a sub-collector in Dharmagarh of Kalahandi district. In the year 2005, he/she got a posting as DM in Mayurbhanj. Pandian was awarded the Helen Keller Award for his/her active role in ensuring benefits for disabled persons while being the collector in Mayurbhanj district. In 2007, Pandian was posted in Ganjam, Patnaik’s home district. During that time, his/her work among the disabled and HIV patients was noticed at the national level. he/she successfully implemented the pilot project to transfer MNREGA wages directly to the accounts of beneficiaries. This was the forerunner of the current Direct Benefit Transfer scheme. Since then, Pandian has been in the CM’s good books. During his/her posting in Ganjam, Patnaik called him/her to the state capital to work as his/her personal secretary. Gradually, he/she became Naveen Babu’s confidant. From his/her posting in the CM House in 2011 to taking voluntary retirement in 2023, he/she remained posted in the CM office for 12 years. During his/her tenure, he/she did remarkable work for the relief, rescue and rehabilitation of the people after the cyclones Phailin, Cyclone Titli and Cyclone Fani that hit Odisha. At the same time, these elections were his/her first test after retirement from the civil service last year, in which he/she failed. In this election, the BJD did not get a single seat in the 20 Lok Sabha. At the same time, it had to be reduced to just 51 out of 147 assembly seats.

what did you say in the video message

My intention of joining politics was only to support Naveen Babu (Naveen Patnaik). Now I have taken a conscious decision to distance myself from active politics. I apologize to those whom I have hurt in this journey. I regret that this campaign against me led to the defeat of Biju Janata Dal. I apologize to the entire Biju family. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the lakhs of members of the Biju family with whom I have been associated. I will always keep Odisha in my heart and remember my guru Naveen Babu. I will pray to Lord Jagannath for his/her welfare and prosperity.

Who is VK Pandian?

Pandian, a 2000 batch IAS officer, has served as Patnaik’s private secretary for over two decades. Pandian’s role changed since he/she came to power for the fifth time in 2019. he/she was appointed chairman of 5T (Transformational Initiatives). VK Pandian’s appointment gave him/her the status of a cabinet minister. he/she was allowed to work directly under Naveen Patnaik. The 50-year-old Pandian had previously spearheaded the Odisha government’s 5T governance charter, which focuses on transparency, technology, teamwork and time for transformation, as a secretary. VK Pandian’s portfolio was not limited to bureaucratic governance. he/she played a notable role in executing major projects like the Sri Jagannath Heritage Corridor. This upcoming project aims to build a 75-metre-wide corridor around the ancient Sri Jagannath Temple. This will increase both its visibility and security. Additionally, he/she has been a guiding force in the restoration of ancient temples across Odisha. his/her contributions led to the launch of ‘Mo Sarkar’, a flagship programme of the Odisha Government aimed at enhancing citizen participation in governance.