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Bhubaneswar: On Monday, Former IAS officer and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s close aide V Karthikeyan Pandian formally joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal. He joined the Chief Minister’s Office in 2011 and has since been Patnaik’s private secretary.
He joined the regional party in the presence of the chief minister, ministers, lawmakers and senior BJD leaders. The General Administration and Public Grievance Department said,”Shri V K Pandian is hereby appointed as Chairman 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha in the rank of Cabinet Minister. Pandian shall work directly under the Chief Minister.”
The 2000 batch IAS officer, who sparked several controversies and was accused of violating service rules, took voluntary retirement from government service on October 23 this year. He made headlines when he took voluntary retirement from service and later CM Patnaik gave him the rank of cabinet minister within a day.
V Karthikeyan Pandian was later appointed Chairman of the state’s flagship 5T (Transformational Initiative) and Naveen (New) Odisha scheme in the rank of Cabinet Minister to work directly under the Chief Minister. The development comes a few months before the Lok Sabha elections as BJD tries to firm its grip on the state.
