Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader and former minister Tukuni Sahu on Wednesday strongly endorsed the possibility of former Mission Shakti secretary, Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, joining the party, stating that her entry would further bolster the party organisation.
Speaking to reporters, Sahu made it clear that the final call rests with BJD president Naveen Patnaik but expressed her personal support for the move. She highlighted the contribution of Sujata, the wife of IAS officer-turned-politician V K Pandian, to women’s empowerment in Odisha. “As the secretary of the department, Sujata Madam’s sole focus was how to truly empower every single woman in Odisha. Under her, the Mission Shakti project was elevated into an independent department with an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore. She successfully turned Odisha into a model state for women’s empowerment. Women who were once confined to their kitchens travelled abroad and made a mark everywhere. She successfully translated Naveen Babu’s dream into reality on the ground,” said Sahu, who was minister for Mission Shakti when Sujata was the department’s secretary.
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As a party worker, I welcome whatever direction our leader gives. We all work as a team under his guidance, and it will undoubtedly strengthen the party,â she added.
Her remarks come amid heightened speculation over Sujataâs potential entry into active politics, with political circles buzzing ahead of a crucial high-level BJD meeting convened by Naveen at Sankha Bhawan at noon on Thursday. Senior leaders including Debi Prasad Mishra, Sanjay Das Burma, Pramila Mallik, Sabya Sachi Nayak, and Pratap Jena held closed-door discussions with the BJD supremo at Naveen Niwas on Wednesday, fuelling expectations of major announcements regarding the partyâs future strategy and organisational restructuring.
It is worth mentioning here that such speculation has been doing the rounds since the 2000-batch IAS officer took voluntary retirement (VRS) in March 2025, following a similar path taken by her husband V K Pandian in 2023 before his own entry into BJD politics. It was refuelled earlier this month when party leader Manmath Rourtray strongly backed her entry and highlighted the overwhelming support she commands within the partyâs grassroots.
Sujataâs administrative career includes stints such as the Collector of Kataka and Sundargarh.
Political observers view her potential induction as a strategic move for the BJD, especially with upcoming panchayat and municipal elections. Her possible joining could mean V K Pandian, who had claimed he would âwithdraw from active politicsâ after BJDâs 2024 electoral debacle, re-emerging as the power centre in the Naveen-led party.
While no official confirmation has come from either Sujata or the BJD leadership, all eyes are now on Thursdayâs meeting at Sankha Bhawan for any decisive announcement.