Odisha has already had a non-Odia chief minister 60 years ago. But 2023 is not 1963. While it may be too early to speculate if VK Pandian will take over the reins from Naveen Patnaik someday, roots matter in politics. Both Patnaik and Pandian know this too well
After his voluntary retirement on October 23, Pandian was appointed chairman of the two government initiatives chairman 5 T (Transformational Initiative) and Nabin Odisha, a welfare scheme for the development of rural areas. He has been given the status of a cabinet minister
V.K. Pandian | Power player - The Hindu thehindu.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehindu.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rise of Tamil Nadu-born IAS officer in Odisha's public life thehindu.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehindu.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Though it is too early to say whether VK Pandian will be contesting in the 2024 assembly elections, but it is clear that he would play a key role in managing BJD and Odisha's politics