Will quit politics if Patnaik fails to become Odisha CM sixth time: Pandian

Bhubaneswar, May 10 (PTI) Bureaucrat-turned-BJD leader VK Pandian on Friday asserted that he would quit politics if party president Naveen Patnaik does not become the chief minister of Odisha for the sixth time in a row after the assembly elections.

Pandian, a close aide of Patnaik, challenged union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to announce that the BJP leader would also take political 'sanyas' if the saffron party failed to come to power in the state.

Pradhan is the face of the BJP in Odisha.

“You (BJP) say that there is BJP wave and wave for a change in Odisha, but I strongly say that if the chief minister (Patnaik) does not become the CM again, I will take sanyas from politics,” Pandian said while addressing a rally at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district.

Patnaik has been at the helm of Odisha since March 5, 2000.

Pandian claimed that the BJP calls him "gumastha" (clerk) or “chamcha” (obedient servant) of Patnaik.

"But you (Pradhan) are a Union minister. If you have the courage, announce that you will also take sanyas from politics if the BJP does not come to power in Odisha,” he said.

The BJD leader wondered what Pradhan had done for the people of Odisha.

Pandian claimed that the BJP leader tried to contest from Dhenkanal for 10 years and finally went to Sambalpur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 5 said that June 4 was the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha and a BJP chief minister will take oath on June 10.

Padnian was quick to hit back and claimed that the BJD would win the polls with three-fourth majority and Patnaik will be sworn in on June 9 between 11.30 am to 1.30 pm. PTI