NO MODI WAVE, ONLY NAVEEN BABU WAVE IN ODISHA: PANDIAN

BJD leader V.K. Pandian asserts his party will win Odisha witha 3/4th majority, challenges BJP, and emphasises his commitment to the state.

- ANAND SINGH

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and 5T chairman V.K. Pandian

said that his party would form government in Odisha with a 3/4th majority and dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to declare its chief ministerial candidate who will contest against Naveen Patnaik. BJD also rejected the charge of opposition that the Constitution of the country was in danger, saying it was resilient and it would be a political blunder if anyone thought one could tinker with it.

He also said that the tag of an outsider being given to him by the BJP was baseless. Odisha is his ‘karmabhoomi’ as he has served the state for over 24 years and his children are Odia.

In an interview, Pandian, who quit his job as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and joined the BJD in November last year said, “I did not plan to enter politics. I had gone to Lingaraj Temple over 100 or 200 times in Bhubaneshwar but had never thought that I would be giving a political speech there ever,” exclaimed Pandian.

Explaining his unforeseen journey into Odisha’s politics, he said that as he started touring the state he felt that there was a connection he had with the people.