Bhubaneswar: The 5T and Nabin Odisha chairman VK Pandian will not contest the upcoming State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
It was confirmed by senior BJD leader and MLA Debi Mishra after the extended executive body meeting.
“He (Pandian) himself clarified that he won’t fight the election this time. But, he will stand by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik and assist the party in all 147 constituencies,” Mishra said.
Mishra also said that there is no problem if Pandian contests the election. Everybody has the democratic right to take part in the election, he added. Rumors are being spread on him, Mishra said.
Party MLA Sambit Routray also echoed a similar voice regarding Pandian’s poll plan. “He (Pandian) clarified that he would not fight elections this time, but will work for the party with CM Naveen Patnaik,” Routray added.
2000 batch IAS officer VK Pandian, who took voluntary retirement from Indian Administrative Service on October 23, joined BJD on November 27.
The party today decided to postpone the organizational election year.
Social media will be used to take on Oppositions. Party president has directed the workers and leaders in this regard, Debi Mishra said.
Similarly, BJD has decided to raise Odisha’s demand for special state status. The party has expressed grief over the silence of the Center on the issue of Mahanadi and Polavaram.
