VK Pandian quits politics after BJD's Odisha assembly elections debacle

VK Pandian, former bureaucrat and close aide of former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has quit active politics after BJD's drubbing in the state assembly elections at the hands of the BJP.

"Now consciously I decide to withdraw myself from active politics. I am sorry if I have hurt anyone on this journey. I am sorry if this campaign narrative against me has had a part to play in BJD's loss," Pandian said in a video while announcing his resignation.

"It was an honour to be working for Naveen Patnaik. His grace, leadership, ethics and above all, his love for the people of Odisha always inspired me," Pandian said.

"I left IAS to assist my mentor Patnaik. My only intent was to help as anyone would do for his mentor. Perhaps, it has been my shortcoming that I have not been able to effectively counter certain political narratives at the right time," he said.

"I had no desire whatsoever, for a specific political post or power. I was neither a candidate, nor was I holding any position in the BJD," Pandian clarified.

Pandian, an IAS officer of the 2000 batch, has served as private secretary to Patnaik for over two decades. In 2023, he joined the BJD after taking voluntary retirement from the bureaucracy.

Originally from Tamil Nadu, Pandian pursued his studies in Delhi and began his career as an IAS officer in the Punjab cadre. He later transferred to the Odisha cadre after marrying an Odia woman. Despite his long service in Odisha, the BJP often labeled him as an "outsider" in the state's political landscape.

Biju Janata Dal was recently defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state elections, dethroning Patnaik after five terms in power. The BJP stormed to power in Odisha, ending the 24-year rule of the BJD, by winning 78 seats in the 147-member assembly. The Patnaik-led party, on the other hand, bagged 51 seats, while the Congress won 14 constituencies, the CPI (M) one. Three Independent nominees also emerged victorious. The BJD failed to win any of the Lok Sabha seats in the state, with the BJP bagging 20 and the Congress one.


Reacting to criticism against Pandian, Patnaik said that the former bureaucrat is a man of integrity.

"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."

"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.