New Delhi (29.06.2026): The Odisha power couple – Sujata Raut Kartikeyan (Retd IAS: 2000: OD) and V K Pandian (Retd IAS: 2000: OD), who had ruled the roost during the Naveen Patnaik government in the state, is now fully drenched into the state’s politics with the wife too formally joining the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on June 25, 2026 in the presence of the party chief. How Pandian, a Tamil by origin, became ‘Man Friday’ of the Odisha CM is a long story having potential of a cinematic depiction.
From Private Secretary to ‘Man Friday’
After joining Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) as Patnaik's Private Secretary in 2011, Pandian’s bond deepened for his loyalty, administrative efficiency, and several other key factors. It got cemented further when he helped successfully foiling a political coup led by Pyari Mohan Mohapatra in 2012. Executing the PM's vision and programmes evolved the administrative relationship into deep loyalty, and Pandian started referring to Patnaik as his mentor. With attacks from all across for being more than an officer, right ahead of Odisha Assembly elections he applied for the VRS and formally joined the BJD with a Cabinet rank. His VRS was accepted with lightning speed on October 23, 2023.
In eye of storm for CM’s dependency
But before he joined the BJD formally, he was already into the thick of BJD’s politics by managing party rallies, implementing political programmes and even using state choppers for the same. He was dealing with bureaucrats, corporates, party MPs and MLAs. The past 5-6 years of before 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, he was the de facto Chief Minister of the state making Naveen a de jure CM which was resented by many senior party leaders and even bureaucrats. But before he calls it a day as a bureaucrat, he was managing the party and administration with the help of his wife who is an Odia and his batchmate. An IPS officer too is part of the team to manage the affairs.
PM’s curiosity over Pandian’s working
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Odisha on an official tour, he was curious about the working style of Pandian and asked people around about it. Though people drew several meanings out of it like the BJP wanted an alliance with the BJD which broke in the past due to some goof up made by journalist-turned politician Chandan Mitra. The BJP was weighing all options in Odisha from forging an alliance to capture power alone. The saffron outfit was trying to shake hands with Pandian on one hand and on the other it was racking up Pandian’s Tamil identity accusing Patnaik of handing over reigns to an outsider. This has done the trick for the BJP. After the PM, Amit Shah too accused Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik of handing over reins of the state to the Tamil officer.
CS accessed CM via Pandian
The kind of influence that Pandian wielded in Odisha could be understood from the fact in the public domain that at least two Chief Secretaries of Odisha, reportedly, got the opportunity to see the CM just twice during their tenure as head of the administration; once while joining the office and again while hanging boots. This has created many foes who later started leaking information and some took refuge with the party at the Centre. This is what the BJP was looking for in the state to make political inroads.
Daughter of the Soil and Karmabhoomi Factors
Using her maiden name, Sujata Raut Kartikeyan too has thrown her hat in the ring to assist her husband amidst dwindling political fortunes of the BJD. The BJP had used the poor health of Naveen Patnaik to its benefit and succeeded in ousting the BJD from the state. Interestingly, the BJP has appointed a tribal CM in the state to replace a Kayastha CM. Her induction is also seen as part of the BJD’s larger succession plan. Senior leaders, MPs and MLAs from all 30 districts were invited by the party to Sankha Bhawan apparently to send a signal that her joining the BJD is a collective decision by the party.
The Hand in Globe Theory
Conspiracy theorists accused Pandian of being hand in glove with the BJP and rather facilitated the BJP’s march in Odisha during 2024 elections. The BJP that was looking to forge an alliance with the BJD suddenly became aggressive towards the party. The release of a picture and video of Naveen Patnaik in which he badly needed assistance changed the game for the BJP in the state. The narrative was set for the BJP that Naveen is completely dependent on Pandian, an outsider. Is it possible that release of such a picture or video was possible without the consent of Pandian. This is what his detractors in the BJD say who are now switching sides.
Twin strategy of the BJP?
Part of the twin strategy to win election in Odisha and also to bury the Congress in the state forever, the BJP allegedly had entered into an underhand deal with Pandian. The BJP and his team worked on a strategy where they wanted a symbolic opposition other than the Congress. They certainly don’t want any party that can pose a challenge to the BJP at the national level. For this strategy, the BJP might have allowed BJD under Pandian to subsist to keep the Congress at bay but would not let the BJP flourish to regain power. So whatever Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks were, they seemed to be just an attempt to whip up Odia sentiment when Naveen Patnaik was losing his grip over people of the state. Some say this is a Noora Kushti (fixed fight).
Even after the two years of election, the BJD failed to do much either against the government in the state or the rival party. The Congress is also unable to emerge as an opposition to replace the BJD. The politics in Odisha appears inexplicable at least for now.
