Former IAS officer and private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister, V Karthikeyan Pandian, officially joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday. He joined the regional party in the presence of CM Naveen Patnaik, ministers, lawmakers, and senior BJD leaders.
Pandian took voluntary retirement from the Indian Civil Services on October 23, following the Centre’s approval. Later, he was appointed as the chairman of the state’s flagship 5T (Transformational Initiative) and Navin (New) Odisha scheme, in the rank of cabinet minister, to work directly under the chief minister.
Following his voluntary retirement, there was speculation in Odisha’s political circles about Pandian’s probable entry into politics, India Today reported.
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Pandian’s induction into the BJD holds significance for the party ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls. The party has begun strengthening its organizational units in various constituencies to maintain its winning streak in Odisha. Pandian previously attended meetings in all districts of Odisha to review developmental projects.
A 2000-batch IAS officer, Pandian hails from Tamil Nadu and commenced his career as a Dharmagarh sub-collector. He later served as the collector of various districts. Joining the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in 2011, he held the position of private secretary to the Chief Minister for the past 12 years.
During his tenure as the 5T Secretary and Private Secretary to the Chief Minister, Pandian faced criticism from the Opposition and was accused of engaging in politics while being in civil service.