bjd leader VK Pandian Took time out from campaigning in Koraput and Malkangiri districts and spoke times of India about cm Naveen Patnaik, opposition attack and many more. excerpts from an interview
BJP claims that cm Contesting from two seats so that I can vacate one for you…
The Chief Minister enjoys so much popularity in the state that there is a demand from all the 147 constituencies for him to contest from their areas. It is their love, affection and trust for the Chief Minister and their belief that if he continues to stand by their constituency, it will be changed forever. As far as criticism of BJP is concerned, they can say whatever they want. We are clear about what we are doing.
PM Modi has said ‘Oriya identity‘ is in danger?
I did not hear what the PM said about ‘Oriya identity’. State BJP leaders have been speaking about this. Considering the place that Biju Patnaik holds in the Odia psyche and Odia pride, what has the BJP government done for Biju Babu in the last 10 years? Many people from across the country have been awarded Bharat Ratna. Does Biju Babu not deserve Bharat Ratna?
Aparajita Sarangi and Dharmendra Pradhan They have collectively tried to stop three major projects related to Odia pride and identity – Sri Mandira Parikrama Project, Sameli Project and Lingaraja Project. What right does he have to talk about ‘Oriya identity’? What is his commitment towards ‘Oriya identity’?
BJP President JP Nadda has said that an attempt is being made to make an outsider the CM. Odisha,
BJP is the largest party in the world, and the people of Odisha were saddened to see the BJP chief in Berhampur with Pradeep Panigrahi on one side and Manmohan Samal on the other. Chargesheet has been filed against Panigrahi, he was in jail for a long time and is out on bail. In 2008, Samal was unceremoniously ousted from the post of minister due to some incidents at Odisha Bhawan.
How do you react when BJP calls you an outsider?
I am a proud Indian by birth. I am Oriya with breath. The mother tongue of both my children is Oriya and Odisha is their motherland. Ultimately, the people of Odisha will decide whether I am an outsider or one of them. The real issue of the common man is inflation and unemployment, about which BJP should answer.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that there is a BJP-BJD alliance in Odisha…
With respect, Rahul ji is a bachelor and may not know much about marriage. Rather, they should be cautious about the unethical relations between BJP and Congress, especially in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur parliamentary constituencies. I am putting it on record.
Rahul said BJP-BJD Odisha is offering PAN, trying to drive home the message that Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and Naveen Patnaik are together…
I am very happy that Rahul ji has finally got a good back-office team. If they had got such a team in 2014, they would not have been criticized so much on social media and perhaps they would have got 30-40 more seats.
When you are praising Modi-Naveen friendship, how do you view the personal attacks on you?
I have been a witness to their friendship for a long time. This is more than a decade old, from the time when the Prime Minister was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The state BJP has been attacking me since 2014. They have attacked my house. They have been attacking me on social media and every possible platform. This is his working style because he has not done any work for Odisha. They can’t talk about their work, so they chose to target me.
If Naveen returns to power, what will be the focus of the government?
Naveen Patnaik’s governance is a continuous action plan. He has clear goals about what he wants to do. In fact, he has a vision and plan for what Odisha should be like in 2036, when Odisha will celebrate 100 years of its formation. They have kept a 10-year window from 2024 to 2034 with a two-year buffer. He calls it the decade of youth.
What will be the main election issue of BJD?
To continue the good work already done to bring about an empowered Odisha. Health assurance for all with expansion in Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) coverage. Quality education for all with schools under 5T transformation. To create an ecosystem for the youth to dream big and empower them to achieve their dreams and through them build a new Odisha.
Your criticisms have mainly centered around the state BJP and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but not the Central BJP. Why?
We are a regional party and our main focus is issues related to our state. It should be seen in that context. Dharmendra Pradhan has had the privilege of becoming a cabinet minister for the last 10 years. No one from Odisha has got such an opportunity. The people of Odisha were extremely disappointed that he did nothing for the state. The people of Odisha deserve to know what role they have played in the last 10 years and how they have actively used their power to hinder the progress of the state.
They have deliberately delayed the coastal highway project which would have greatly benefited the people of Odisha. He is contesting from Sambalpur, but he deliberately used his power to stop the work of Maa Samleshwari temple. He is answerable to the people of Odisha for all this and more. His only aim is to reach the post of Chief Minister by any means.
Was Puri Heritage Project a strategy to divert attention from Ram Temple?
The Shri Mandira Parikrama project had started much before the Supreme Court order for the Ram temple. Rather, the delay in the Sri Mandira project was caused by Dharmendra Pradhan and his insistence that the project should not happen.
Who proposed the BJP-BJD alliance and who resolved it?
No one proposed an alliance and no talks ever failed. If talks took place, it was because of the respect both leaders had for each other and the statesmanlike qualities they displayed towards a larger cause.
Why didn’t you contest the elections?
I was clear from day one that I am joining politics to help my guru, guide and philosopher Mr. Naveen Patnaik.
How was the transition from a bureaucrat to a politician?
I see both as mediums to serve the people.
Odisha’s change has been termed a publicity stunt…
CM has transformed disaster management in Odisha. Far from being a state known for hunger deaths and food shortages, Odisha is now the third largest contributor to food surplus and the National Public Distribution System. Odisha is now known as the sports capital of the country. The Chief Minister has worked hard for the dignity of women, tribals, farmers and others. People’s will cannot be controlled by stunts for 24 years. For a leader to remain Chief Minister for so long, there must be real delivery.
BJP claims that cm Contesting from two seats so that I can vacate one for you…
The Chief Minister enjoys so much popularity in the state that there is a demand from all the 147 constituencies for him to contest from their areas. It is their love, affection and trust for the Chief Minister and their belief that if he continues to stand by their constituency, it will be changed forever. As far as criticism of BJP is concerned, they can say whatever they want. We are clear about what we are doing.
PM Modi has said ‘Oriya identity‘ is in danger?
I did not hear what the PM said about ‘Oriya identity’. State BJP leaders have been speaking about this. Considering the place that Biju Patnaik holds in the Odia psyche and Odia pride, what has the BJP government done for Biju Babu in the last 10 years? Many people from across the country have been awarded Bharat Ratna. Does Biju Babu not deserve Bharat Ratna?
Aparajita Sarangi and Dharmendra Pradhan They have collectively tried to stop three major projects related to Odia pride and identity – Sri Mandira Parikrama Project, Sameli Project and Lingaraja Project. What right does he have to talk about ‘Oriya identity’? What is his commitment towards ‘Oriya identity’?
BJP President JP Nadda has said that an attempt is being made to make an outsider the CM. Odisha,
BJP is the largest party in the world, and the people of Odisha were saddened to see the BJP chief in Berhampur with Pradeep Panigrahi on one side and Manmohan Samal on the other. Chargesheet has been filed against Panigrahi, he was in jail for a long time and is out on bail. In 2008, Samal was unceremoniously ousted from the post of minister due to some incidents at Odisha Bhawan.
How do you react when BJP calls you an outsider?
I am a proud Indian by birth. I am Oriya with breath. The mother tongue of both my children is Oriya and Odisha is their motherland. Ultimately, the people of Odisha will decide whether I am an outsider or one of them. The real issue of the common man is inflation and unemployment, about which BJP should answer.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that there is a BJP-BJD alliance in Odisha…
With respect, Rahul ji is a bachelor and may not know much about marriage. Rather, they should be cautious about the unethical relations between BJP and Congress, especially in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur parliamentary constituencies. I am putting it on record.
Rahul said BJP-BJD Odisha is offering PAN, trying to drive home the message that Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and Naveen Patnaik are together…
I am very happy that Rahul ji has finally got a good back-office team. If they had got such a team in 2014, they would not have been criticized so much on social media and perhaps they would have got 30-40 more seats.
When you are praising Modi-Naveen friendship, how do you view the personal attacks on you?
I have been a witness to their friendship for a long time. This is more than a decade old, from the time when the Prime Minister was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The state BJP has been attacking me since 2014. They have attacked my house. They have been attacking me on social media and every possible platform. This is his working style because he has not done any work for Odisha. They can’t talk about their work, so they chose to target me.
If Naveen returns to power, what will be the focus of the government?
Naveen Patnaik’s governance is a continuous action plan. He has clear goals about what he wants to do. In fact, he has a vision and plan for what Odisha should be like in 2036, when Odisha will celebrate 100 years of its formation. They have kept a 10-year window from 2024 to 2034 with a two-year buffer. He calls it the decade of youth.
What will be the main election issue of BJD?
To continue the good work already done to bring about an empowered Odisha. Health assurance for all with expansion in Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) coverage. Quality education for all with schools under 5T transformation. To create an ecosystem for the youth to dream big and empower them to achieve their dreams and through them build a new Odisha.
Your criticisms have mainly centered around the state BJP and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but not the Central BJP. Why?
We are a regional party and our main focus is issues related to our state. It should be seen in that context. Dharmendra Pradhan has had the privilege of becoming a cabinet minister for the last 10 years. No one from Odisha has got such an opportunity. The people of Odisha were extremely disappointed that he did nothing for the state. The people of Odisha deserve to know what role they have played in the last 10 years and how they have actively used their power to hinder the progress of the state.
They have deliberately delayed the coastal highway project which would have greatly benefited the people of Odisha. He is contesting from Sambalpur, but he deliberately used his power to stop the work of Maa Samleshwari temple. He is answerable to the people of Odisha for all this and more. His only aim is to reach the post of Chief Minister by any means.
Was Puri Heritage Project a strategy to divert attention from Ram Temple?
The Shri Mandira Parikrama project had started much before the Supreme Court order for the Ram temple. Rather, the delay in the Sri Mandira project was caused by Dharmendra Pradhan and his insistence that the project should not happen.
Who proposed the BJP-BJD alliance and who resolved it?
No one proposed an alliance and no talks ever failed. If talks took place, it was because of the respect both leaders had for each other and the statesmanlike qualities they displayed towards a larger cause.
Why didn’t you contest the elections?
I was clear from day one that I am joining politics to help my guru, guide and philosopher Mr. Naveen Patnaik.
How was the transition from a bureaucrat to a politician?
I see both as mediums to serve the people.
Odisha’s change has been termed a publicity stunt…
CM has transformed disaster management in Odisha. Far from being a state known for hunger deaths and food shortages, Odisha is now the third largest contributor to food surplus and the National Public Distribution System. Odisha is now known as the sports capital of the country. The Chief Minister has worked hard for the dignity of women, tribals, farmers and others. People’s will cannot be controlled by stunts for 24 years. For a leader to remain Chief Minister for so long, there must be real delivery.
