IAS VK Pandian may join politics after his voluntary retirement

In a major development, the Centre approved voluntary retirement of IAS officer VK Pandian, the right-hand man of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, triggering speculation of him joining politics.

Pandian, 2000-batch Odisha cadre officer, is a native of Tamil Nadu, and has been with Patnaik since 2011.

He is seen as a key figure in both the Odisha government and as well the state's ruling party Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) ecosystem, next to Patnaik only.


Pandian applied for voluntary retirement on October 20 and got it within three days from Centre on October 23.

Many in the state government and BJD are of the view that he has taken VRS with the blessings of Patnaik minister and will formally join the politics and to play an active role in assembly polls in Odisha next year.

A very soon announcement could be made of him being given a key post in BJD, sources said.

With Patnaik's ailing health, Pandian influence and stature rose so much that he was the only third person in the recent political meetings of BJD supremo with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for possible third front.

Pandian's wife Sujata Pandian, also an IAS officer and native of Odisha.