IAS officer VK Pandian takes voluntary retirement, may join BJD

IAS officer VK Pandian, the private secretary of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, took voluntary retirement from government service. Sources in the ruling BJD said that he may join the party, and is likely to be given a significant role ahead of the assembly elections.

Bhubaneswar: In a significant development, IAS officer VK Pandian, the private secretary of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has taken voluntary retirement from government service. The move has triggered speculations that he may join the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and play a key role in the upcoming assembly elections.

Pandian's Rise to Prominence

A 2000-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, Pandian rose to prominence as the close aide of the chief minister. He has often been at the center of controversies, with opposition parties alleging that he was misusing his position for political gains.

Bureaucratic Career

Pandian began his bureaucratic career as the sub-collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi district in 2002. He was appointed the collector of Mayurbhanj district in 2005, and then in 2007, he was made the collector of Ganjam. It was during his posting in Ganjam that he became close to the chief minister.

Close Aide of CM Patnaik

Pandian joined the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in 2011, and since then, he has been Patnaik's private secretary. After Patnaik became the chief minister for the fifth time in 2019, Pandian was given the additional responsibility of the 5T secretary to implement some transformational initiatives in government departments.

Political Ambitions

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had asked Pandian to resign and officially join the BJD, after he went on a whirlwind tour across the state during which he held 190 meetings to hear public grievances. Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka said that he would not be surprised if Pandian took charge as the chief minister of Odisha before the next elections.

Reactions from Opposition

Senior Congress MLA SS Saluja welcomed Pandian's decision to take voluntary retirement. "We welcome his decision. He should have done it earlier. We do not know whether he will join politics or return back to his own state. However, if he joins the BJD, then it will be helpful for the opposition, the Congress is particular," Saluja said.

BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said Pandian has resigned to take forward his political activities. "Now, he will be able to do politics openly instead of with the mask of a bureaucrat on. He will not be accepted by the people of Odisha," he claimed.

Pandian's voluntary retirement has set the stage for his foray into politics. With his close association with Chief Minister Patnaik and his experience in administration, he is likely to play a significant role in the BJD and the upcoming assembly elections. His decision has also triggered a debate on the increasing nexus between bureaucracy and politics in Odisha.