Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of auspicious Kartik Purnima, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s most trusted aide and 5T Chairman V Karthikeya Pandian today formally joined the Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) here.
Shri Pandian, who is known for his simplicity, joined the party in a very low key affair, in presence of BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik and several senior leaders of the BJD at Naveen Niwas at 10.15 AM.
Senior BJD leader and Puri MP Pinaki Misra informed this to the Media after the joining program.
Prior to joining the party, the bureaucrat-turned-politician visited Puri and paid darshan to Lord Jagannath. After joining in the party, a grand welcome was given to him at Sankha Bhawan, the BJD party office here.
Later, he would visit Taratarini temple in Ganjam district to seek blessings of the famous goddess.
Shri Pandian had taken voluntary retirement from government service on October 23 this year. A day later He was appointed Chairman 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha (New Odisha) with the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
The 2000 batch IAS officer, who started his career as Dharmagarh Sub-Collector in Kalahandi district, joined the Odisha CMO in 2011 and became the most trusted lieutenant of Naveen Patnaik.
Shri Pandian hails from Tamil Nadu and began his career as an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer in the Punjab cadre. However, his career took a significant turn when got Odisha cadre by virtue of his marriage to Odia IAS Officer, Sujata Rout.
Shri Pandian’s most prominent role as a bureaucrat was serving as the private secretary to Shri Patnaik, a position he has held for over a decade. This role granted him substantial influence within the power corridors of Odisha.
While till 2019 elections, the then bureaucrat chose to stay behind the curtains, the massive mandate spurred him to step out of the shadows and become the face and voice of Naveen Patnaik.
Senior BJD leaders lauded his entry to the Governing Party and expressed confidence on his dynamic appraoch and visionary spirit.
