Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculation to rest, Governing BJD today made it clear that former bureaucrat and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s trusted aide V.K. Pandian would not contest in the upcoming election next year.
After Shri Pandian joined the BJD in November, there were rumours that the Bureaucrat-turned-politician and 5T chairman would contest the elections. Pandian was appointed Chairman of the ‘5T’ transformational initiative and Nabin Odisha in the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
“At the BJD’s State Executive Body meeting, Shri Pandian himself clarified that he would not fight any election. However, as a dedicated worker, he will continue to strengthen the party,” senior BJD Vice President and former Minister Debi Prasad Mishra told reporters after the meeting.
There had been malicious campaigns against him with regard to his role in the party. They (Opposition) were exaggerating every issue about the former bureaucrat joining the party, Mishra said.
Former Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena said Shri Pandian will work for the BJD in all 147 Assembly constituencies in the State. “The former bureaucrat will work towards strengthening the BJD under the leadership of our party president Naveen Patnaik,” Shri Jena said.
“Since Odisha has gained a reputation as a well-governed state, he will work to increase the popularity of the party,” BJD MLA Sandip Routray told reporters.
Shri Mishra also said that the opposition Congress and BJP are engaged in spreading rumours on various subjects. He said as many as 32 proposals including 19 vote of thanks proposals were presented and passed following discussions at the party’s executive meeting held at Sankha Bhawan.
The state executive of the party thanked people of Odisha and CM Shri Patnaik for the consecutive wins in various elections to the state assembly, Lok Sabha, Panchayats, municipalities and the by-elections during the more than two decades since 2000.
The Body also thanked the BJD boss for the steps taken for the propagation of Jagannath culture and consciousness, successful implementation of Shree Jagannath Corridor project, preservation and restoration of different religious and heritage places such as Shree Lingaraj, Maa Samalei, Tara Tarini temples.
Similarly, the party leaders held discussions on vote of thanks proposals over flagship programmes like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), food and social security schemes, rapid industrialisation, and development of sports infrastructure, IT sector, and improvement in irrigation system and various other achievements.
The party has also decided to hold training programmes for its Panchayat and zonal level workers at the Sankha Bhavan, party headquarters in view of the general elections scheduled to be held next year, said the BJD Senior Vice-President.
Shri Mishra said panchayat level meetings will be held after the celebration of the party’s foundation day. Meanwhile, a campaign will also be launched at Panchayat level from Nataji Jayanti on January 23 to Biju Jayanti on March 5, 2024 to highlight the achievements of the BJD Government and its development agenda.
Accusing the central government of showing step motherly attitude towards the state, Mishra said the party has decided to continue to raise its demand for special category status for the State, hike in the coal royalty, cess clearance, waiver of GST on the kendu leaves and rise in price of essential commodities.
