Former IAS officer Sujatha Rawat, wife of VK Pandian, has joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Bhubaneswar.
VK Pandian had earlier served as a close aide and private secretary to BJD leader Naveen Patnaik during his tenure as Odisha’s Chief Minister. During the election campaign, the BJP had sharply criticised Pandian. After the BJD’s defeat, Pandian said he was stepping away from active politics.
Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer, is married to Sujatha Rawat, who is also an IAS officer and had taken compulsory voluntary retirement. With her entry into the party, attention has again turned to the BJD’s internal succession discussions.
Speaking after joining, Rawat said she had received an opportunity to work again for the people of Odisha under Patnaik’s leadership. She added that, with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, the people of the state and BJD workers, she would work with full dedication for public welfare.
The report also notes that Patnaik had earlier been seen as considering Pandian as a political successor, but later dropped the idea after the electoral setback, amid BJP’s campaign highlighting Pandian’s Tamil Nadu roots. Even as Pandian is said to remain close to Patnaik, sources suggest Rawat could be given key responsibilities in the party.
