Pandian’s criticism for BJD defeat unfortunate: Naveen Patnaik | Bhubaneswar News
BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik came to the defence of his close aide VK Pandian on Saturday, amidst the controversy surrounding the BJD‘s recent electoral setback. Patnaik expressed his disappointment at the criticism directed towards Pandian, deeming it regrettable.
Amid the internal turmoil in BJD following party’s poor performance in the recent elections, Naveen said, “It has come to my notice, there has been some criticism of Mr Pandian.This is unfortunate.”
In its first ever defeat since BJD was formed, the party has got 51 of the 147 assembly seats and none of the 21 Lok Sabha seats. Naveen himself one of the two assembly seats he had contested from.
Pointing out that Pandian did excellent work as an officer in many fields in the last 10 years, helping govt with two cyclones and with the Covid-19 epidemic in the state, Naveen said after this good work, he retired from the bureaucracy and joined his party and has contributed largely to that by doing excellent work. “He is a person of integrity and honesty and should be remembered for all that,” Naveen said.
Naveen clarified again that Pandian is not his successor. “I repeat that the people of Odisha will decide on my successor,” he said.
After Pandian joined the party, he has not held any post. He didn’t fight in the selections from any constituency, he said.
The BJD chief said there have been some questions on his health and asserted, “I want to say here, quite categorically, that my health has always been fine and continues to be so.”
On BJD’s defeat, Naveen said that is in the people’s hands. “In a democracy, you know, you either win or you lose. So having been defeated after a long time, we must always take the verdict of the people gracefully,” he said.
Naveen said he has always said that the four and a half crore people of Odisha are family, adding “I will continue to serve them in whichever way I can.”
Amid the internal turmoil in BJD following party’s poor performance in the recent elections, Naveen said, “It has come to my notice, there has been some criticism of Mr Pandian.This is unfortunate.”
In its first ever defeat since BJD was formed, the party has got 51 of the 147 assembly seats and none of the 21 Lok Sabha seats. Naveen himself one of the two assembly seats he had contested from.
Pointing out that Pandian did excellent work as an officer in many fields in the last 10 years, helping govt with two cyclones and with the Covid-19 epidemic in the state, Naveen said after this good work, he retired from the bureaucracy and joined his party and has contributed largely to that by doing excellent work. “He is a person of integrity and honesty and should be remembered for all that,” Naveen said.
Naveen clarified again that Pandian is not his successor. “I repeat that the people of Odisha will decide on my successor,” he said.
After Pandian joined the party, he has not held any post. He didn’t fight in the selections from any constituency, he said.
The BJD chief said there have been some questions on his health and asserted, “I want to say here, quite categorically, that my health has always been fine and continues to be so.”
On BJD’s defeat, Naveen said that is in the people’s hands. “In a democracy, you know, you either win or you lose. So having been defeated after a long time, we must always take the verdict of the people gracefully,” he said.
Naveen said he has always said that the four and a half crore people of Odisha are family, adding “I will continue to serve them in whichever way I can.”
