Patnaik insists he’ll continue to lead as ex-bureaucrat Sujata Pandian joins BJD

FSea-ear administrative official Sujata Pandian, 50, on th united Odisha’s oppositeness Biju Janata Dal (BJD) even as the party chief Naveen Patnaik maintained he would lead it in the next election. Sujata Pandian, wife of Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian, was inducted amid speculation over her political future and post-Patnaik BJD.The BJD has been grappling with questions of succession and a series of defections following its loss of power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024, which prompted VK Pandian to quit politics. Sujata Pandian’s entry is expected to strengthen perceptions that she is being positioned for a larger role in the BJD. She also took voluntary retirement, like her husband, to enter politics. BJP’s “Odia Asmita (pride)” campaign highlighted VK Pandian’s non-Odia background.Patnaik tried to downplay speculation over Sujata Pandian’s role as he addressed her by her maiden Odia surname, Rout. “She will join as a simple member. ...she has been an IAS [Indian Administrative Service] officer and held important positions, including her last, where she looked after many women. As time passes, she will get used to a new position and learn to help people, particularly women. I would like to repeat that I will lead BJD in the next election,” Patnaik said.Sujata Pandian said she was returning to public service under Patnaik’s leadership. “I earlier served the people of Odisha under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik for 24 years. By joining the BJD, I am once again getting an opportunity to serve them. I will work for the state with the blessings of Lord Jagannath and lakhs of BJD workers.”A 2000-batch IAS officer, she oversaw the growth of women self-help groups, increasing credit access and introducing interest-free loans for women entrepreneurs. She was associated with the Millet Shakti initiative, which linked women’s collectives with millet-based enterprises and cafes.The absence of BJD leaders, like Raja Swain, Prasanna Acharya, Badri Patra, and Bhupinder Singh from the induction ceremony, lent credence to the growing unease in the party over the Pandian family’s influence.The BJD is attempting to reinvent itself after losing power. Sujata Pandian’s induction could energise a section of the cadre that remains loyal to the Patnaik and VK Pandian. Her joining may alienate voters and leaders who viewed VK Pandian’s prominence as one of the reasons behind the party’s electoral setback.Many in the BJD hold VK Pandian responsible for the 2024 defeat. “He became the dominant face of the government and then the party’s election campaign. During the 2024 polls, Pandian often overshadowed many of our ministers and lawmakers, creating a perception that power had shifted away from elected representatives,” said a former BJD parliamentarian.Political analyst SP Dash said this perception contributed to the BJP’s “Odia Asmita” campaign, helping it weaponise Pandian’s non-Odia background and his disproportionate influence. “This narrative may have struck a chord with voters who increasingly felt that the BJD was no longer being run by its traditional political leadership, and Pandian became the focal point of a broader backlash against the party.”Political observer Rabi Das said Sujata Pandian could attract a section of anti-BJP voters who would otherwise have drifted towards the Congress. “Her entry may end up fragmenting the opposition space rather than unifying it. A stronger BJD and a resurgent Congress competing for the same anti-BJP constituency would reduce the possibility of a consolidated opposition challenge.”