Naveen’s aide Pandian withdraws from politics

Bhubaneswar: Days after the regional party’s shock defeat in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Odisha’s outgoing chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s close aide and BJD leader V K Pandian on Sunday announced his withdrawal from active politics.

In a video message, the bureaucrat-turned-politician said, “Now I consciously decided to withdraw myself from active politics. I am sorry if I have hurt anyone in this journey. I am sorry if this campaign narrative against me has had a part to play in the Biju Janata Dal’s loss. My apologies to the entire Biju Parivaar including all the ‘karmis’ for this.”

Pandian said his only intention to join politics was to assist Naveen and that is why he did not contest the elections. He said, “I will always keep Odisha in core of my heart and my Guru Naveen Babu in my breath.”