A day after his request for a voluntary retirement came through, IAS officer VK Pandian, former private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has been given a new role as the Chairman of 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and ‘Nabin Odisha’ in the state government.

According to a statement issued by Additional Chief Secretary Surendra Kumar, Pandian has been appointed to the rank of cabinet minister and will report directly to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

“Shri VK Pandian is hereby appointed as Chairman 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha in the rank of Cabinet Minister. Pandian shall work directly under the Chief Minister,” the General Administration and Public Grievance Department said.

Also Read: Centre approves voluntary retirement of IAS officer and Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary VK Pandian

Earlier, sources from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had said 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.

A 2000-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, Pandian took voluntary retirement from service and received the Central government’s nod on Monday (October 23).

He was appointed the collector of Mayurbhanj in 2005, and then in 2007, he was made the collector of Ganjam. It was during his posting in Ganjam that he became a trusted officer of the Chief Minister. Pandian joined the Chief Minister’s Office in 2011 and was later promoted as Patnaik’s private secretary.

Soon after his request for voluntary retirement came through, Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka said he would not be surprised if Pandian took charge as chief minister of Odisha before the next polls.

Also Read: Explained: Who is IAS VK Pandian, and why has his growing influence come under scrutiny?

“…such is the power structure in Odisha, no one has clue what’s happening but everyone knows who’s controlling. VRS approved in 3 days during holidays – Super Fast,” he said in a post on X.

BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said, “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.”

(With inputs from PTI)