Pandian not my successor: Patnaik dismisses BJP’s ‘exaggerations’

New Delhi, May 30

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian, his close aide, was not his successor and his successor would be decided by the people of the state.

BJP refuses to buy CM’s defence

• Assam CM said Odisha CM’s interview to a news agency dismissing speculation about his health has raised more questions
• “People of Odisha still do not know why ministers, bureaucrats do not have direct access to the Chief Minister? Does the CM physically sign any file or does Mr Pandian uses his digital signature?” Sarma said

In a rare conversation with an agency, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to form a committee to probe the sudden deterioration of his health, Patnaik said he saw “talks around Pandian as exaggerations”.

The PM-led BJP has made the closeness of Pandian, a Tamil Nadu-cadre bureaucrat, with Patnaik a major poll issue in Odisha where the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are being held simultaneously.

The BJP has invoked Odia pride, urging locals to vote for it instead of the BJD which, they have claimed, would “foist an outsider on the state in the wake of Patnaik’s ill health”. In a veiled attack on Pandian, the PM had yesterday said, “I wonder if the lobby enjoying the fruits of power in Naveen Babu’s name is behind the CM’s flailing health.”

Patnaik today termed as “unfortunate PM Modi’s remarks about his health.”

“It is unfortunate that he (PM) should say this to get votes. He said he is a good friend of mine. He could have telephoned me but instead he is saying this in an election meeting to get votes,” the CM said. Patnaik appeared in a news agency interview to dismiss speculation about his health. “I have said repeatedly that my successor will be decided by the people of the state. I cannot understand these exaggerations (about Pandian). He is not even standing for elections.

Pandian is not my successor and I see all of this as exaggerations and falsehoods,” Patnaik said. The BJP, however, did not buy the CM’s defence.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the interview raised more questions than answers.

“Naveen Babu was unable to answer why Mr Pandian was the only person to be seen with him; either holding his mike or controlling his hands. Naveen Babu’s successor is immaterial as Mr Pandian has a firm backdoor entry in running Odisha. He has pervasive control over the Chief Minister and Naveen Niwas. Naveen Babu failed to assure the people of Odisha that this will change,” said Sarma.

He added that when asked, in the unlikely event of the BJD winning, will Naveen Babu continue for 5 years, “His reply lacked a decisive yes. Either Mr Pandian has already selected the “successor” or, more likely, even Naveen Babu knows BJP is winning hands down.”