Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders on Thursday downplayed the absence of several former MLAs and ministers from the formal induction of Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, a former IAS officer and wife of V K Pandian, a close aide of party president Naveen Patnaik.
Putting an end to months of speculation, the 2000-batch IAS officer, who took voluntary retirement in March 2025, made her official entry into BJD politics at Sankha Bhavan, the party’s state headquarters in Bhubaneswar. The ceremony was attended by party supremo Naveen Patnaik. Sujata followed the same path as her husband and former bureaucrat, Pandian, who entered active regional politics in 2023.
However, several prominent faces, including Badri Narayan Patra, Prasanna Acharya, Bhupinder Singh, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Pushpendra Singhdeo, Latika Pradhan, and Bikram Keshari Arukha and BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash “Bobby” Das, were conspicuous by their absence. Their no-show has fuelled perceptions of quiet disapproval from certain sections within the party, even as support for Sujata’s entry appears to be growing in other quarters.
Adding to the speculation, Singh remarked that many veteran leaders had not been invited to the event, further stok
ing rumours of internal discord. Notably, several of these leaders had previously expressed reservations, subtle or overt, about Pandian’s influence in the party.
Senior BJD MLA Arun Sahoo also dismissed suggestions of any rift, attributing the absences to unavoidable commitments. “Some leaders could not make it due to urgent constituency work or personal engagements. I myself received the invitation only yesterday evening around 7 pm and had to cancel five scheduled programmes in my constituency today,” he told reporters.
Former MP Mahesh Sahu echoed the sentiment regarding Bobby Das’ absence: “He might have been busy with other work. He was present at Naveen Niwas yesterday. There is no other reason behind it, and it certainly does not mean he is opposing the move.”
He further stated that Sujata’s entry would bolster the party at the grassroots. “The moment V K Pandian joined the BJD, Sujata effectively became part of the family. Today it was made official. There is absolutely no discontent within the party regarding her induction,” he asserted.
BJD MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena also downplayed the controversy, maintaining that the decision came directly from the top. “Individual reasons for absence aside, this decision was made by the party supremo and the political affairs committee. Every single worker of the party is obligated to accept this decision, and it is moving forward with full consensus,” he noted.
While her induction is widely viewed as a strategic move ahead of the upcoming panchayat and municipal elections, political observers see it as a possible precursor to the return of Pandian, who had stepped back from active politics following the BJD’s electoral setback in 2024, as a key power centre in the Naveen Patnaik-led party.
Bobby Das and other leaders could not be reached for immediate comment regarding their absence.