Odisha Assembly Elections 2024: 'Missing' Pandian keeps BJD on the boil after poll debacle

The stunning victory of the BJP in Odisha which brought an end to the 24-year continuous rule of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has put the latter on the back foot.

With strong resentments brewing against bureaucrat-turned-politician V K Pandian, party leaders and workers are baying for his blood, holding him solely responsible for the BJD’s debacle. So much so, the irate youth wing elements of BJD created a ruckus on Friday and Saturday at the Sankha Bhavan, the party headquarters, close to Naveen Patnaik’s residence, raising slogans against party leaders who defended Pandian’s “mysterious disappearance” since June 4.

Demanding strong action by the party against the former bureaucrat, the youths slammed Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra for giving a clarification on Pandian’s absence in a press meeting two days ago.

Slogans were raised against BJD’s organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, who was another power centre, and Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj. The trio, they held, were the cause for the drubbing. Das, who reached the spot, to douse the anger of the youth leaders was reportedly booed but eventually succeeded in assuring them that Patnaik is looking into the matter and that he would take appropriate action.

However, Patnaik on Saturday gave a clean chit to Pandian and clarified that the criticism against the latter as “most unfortunate” and described him to be an honest officer who served the state with integrity during difficult situations.

‘Not my successor’

Pandian, he reiterated, is not his political successor while thanking the people of the state to have showered the blessings on him to serve the state for such a long time.

What, however, does not match his strong defence in favour of Pandian is his very calculated decision to keep his ‘Man Friday’ away from Naveen Niwas as he continues to hold parleys with leaders and partymen in groups and individually post-poll results.

Pandian’s complete lack of visibility after the election results came out has fuelled speculations among the partymen and the public.

While it is rumoured that he managed to leave for New Delhi to carry out some “negotiation” with BJP central leaders at the behest of Patnaik, some party insiders maintain that he is very much in Bhubaneswar.

Resentment against Pandian for his “overbearing presence and interference” in matters of administration and politics had long been brewing.

Patnaik’s ‘blind faith’ in him was something that was being widely denounced but none ever dared to speak out in the party or the administration for fear of being taken to task.

Being the star campaigner of the party after Patnaik where other party leaders were brazenly overlooked, Pandian failed to impress the voters. But neither Patnaik nor Pandian could see the writings on the wall.

The BJD was accused of misusing government machinery to influence the voters, especially by three senior officers.

On the basis of opposition complaints, the Election Commission had shifted Pandian’s IAS wife Sujata Kartikeyan, who was the Secretary of Mission Shakti Department, to an inconsequential post. Soon after, she applied for six months’ leave citing her daughter’s examination which has been granted.

A few days later the EC placed Dhiren Kutey, a senior IPS officer working as the Special Secretary in former Chief Minister’s office, under suspension and transferred Inspector General (CM Security) Ashish Kumar Singh.

Singh promptly proceeded on leave on health grounds but the EC ordered a full check-up in AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.

While the EC revoked Kutey’s suspension on Saturday and ordered him to report to the Chief Secretary, the AIIMS findings suggested Singh to be in sound health physically and mentally. Both will face inquiries separately, EC ordered.

(The writer is a Bhubaneswar-based senior journalist)

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