VK Pandian voluntarily retires as Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary.
New Delhi:
A day after his request for voluntary retirement was approved, former private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, VK Pandian, was given a cabinet position in the state government.
According to an order issued by Odisha’s Administration and Public Grievances Department, the IAS officer has been appointed as the chairman of the state government’s 5T (Transformation Initiative) and Navin Odisha Scheme. The order states that he will be given a ministerial position.
Earlier, ruling BJD officials had said that Pandian may join the party and is likely to be given a bigger role ahead of next year’s assembly polls, news agency PTI reported. .
Mr. Pandian, a 2000th batch IAS officer in Odisha cadre, started his career in 2002 as deputy collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi. He was appointed Mayurbhani Collector in 2005 and later Ganjam Collector in 2007. It was during his posting in Ganjam that he became a trusted official of the Prime Minister. Mr. Pandian joined the Prime Minister’s Office in 2011, after which he was promoted to Mr. Patnaik’s private secretary.
Mr. Pandian’s emergence as the BJD leader’s most trusted confidant has drawn accusations from the party’s rivals of abusing his bureaucratic position.
Immediately after his request for voluntary retirement was passed, MP Saptagiri Ulaka said he would not be surprised if Mr Pandian becomes Odisha chief minister before the next polls.
“…the power structure in Odisha is like this. No one knows what is going on, but everyone knows who is in control. VRS was approved in three days during the holidays – – Super fast,” he said in a post on X.
Senior Congress MLA SS Saluja said Pandian should have resigned from public life earlier. “I don’t know whether he will join politics or return to his state. But if he joins the BJD, it will be beneficial for the opposition party,” Saluja told news agency PTI. is special,” he said.
BJP leader Mohan Mazihi said, “He will now be able to conduct politics openly instead of wearing the mask of a bureaucrat. He will not be accepted by the people of Odisha. ” he said.
