Pandian quits active politics after defeat of BJD in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, June 9

Exactly six months and 13 days after joining politics, former bureaucrat VK Pandian on Sunday announced his withdrawal from active politics following the BJD’s drubbing in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, but said he would keep Odisha in the core of his heart and ‘Guru Naveen Babu’ in his breath.

In a video message, Pandian said his only intention to join politics was to assist Naveen Patnaik, which is why he did not contest in the 2024 elections. He also apologised to the people and BJD leaders and workers if they held him responsible for the electoral loss.

During the campaign, Pandian had asserted that he would quit politics if party president Patnaik did not become the Chief Minister of Odisha for the sixth consecutive time after the Assembly elections.

The swearing-in ceremony for the first BJP government in Odisha has been rescheduled from June 10 to June 12, party leaders Jatin Mohanty and Vijaypal Singh Tomar confirmed here on Sunday.