VK Pandian, a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has retired from politics following the BJD’s crushing defeat in the elections.

In a blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJD), bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian and a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have decided to quit politics following the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha and Odisha state assembly elections.

“…I have now consciously decided to step back from political activity. I am sorry if I have hurt anyone in this process. I am sorry if this campaign rhetoric against me contributed to the BJD’s defeat. I apologise to the entire Biju Parivar including all the ‘karmis’ for this,” the BJD leader said in a video message on June 9.

Pandian said his only aim in joining politics was to support Patnaik and that was the reason he did not contest the elections.

He said, “I will always keep Odisha in my heart and my guru Naveen Babu in my breath.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 78 seats in the 178-seat Odisha Assembly, surprising the BJD which managed only 51. The BJP also won 20 out of 21 seats in the state assembly elections.

Pandian has come under fire for the party’s election defeat, and outgoing chief minister and party leader Naveen Patnaik has defended his aide, saying the criticism was unfortunate.

“I am aware that there have been some criticisms against Mr Pandian, which is unfortunate. As an executive he has done a great job in many areas and has also been instrumental in surviving two major cyclones that have hit the state in the last decade as well as the COVID-19 pandemic,” the BJD chief said.