BHUBANESWAR: Amid murmurs about V K Pandian’s role in BJD’s electoral debacle and his absence in public since the June 4 results, the party on Thursday clarified that he was in New Delhi on instructions of outgoing CM Naveen Patnaik.
“There are some misleading media reports on his (Pandian’s) Delhi tour,” BJD Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra said. BJD did not disclose the purpose of Pandian’s sudden visit to Delhi.It also did not clear the air on why Pandian, BJD’s chief election strategist who often conveyed his messages through videos, has not yet reacted to the debacle.
Naveen met defeated MLA and MP candidates at his residence on Thursday.
After the meeting, the leaders avoided questions on Pandian and described Naveen “as their one and only leader” — a contrast from the recent months when the former IAS was seen as the chief minister’s successor.
Asked if Naveen had distanced himself from Pandian, BJD secretary Pranab Prakash Das said: “It is Naveen Babu’s prerogative on who should remain in the meeting. ”Asked about a buzz that Pandian had offered to resign, a BJD leader said: “It is our internal matter. A committee has been formed to look into the reasons behind our defeat.”
“There are some misleading media reports on his (Pandian’s) Delhi tour,” BJD Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra said. BJD did not disclose the purpose of Pandian’s sudden visit to Delhi.It also did not clear the air on why Pandian, BJD’s chief election strategist who often conveyed his messages through videos, has not yet reacted to the debacle.
Naveen met defeated MLA and MP candidates at his residence on Thursday.
After the meeting, the leaders avoided questions on Pandian and described Naveen “as their one and only leader” — a contrast from the recent months when the former IAS was seen as the chief minister’s successor.
Asked if Naveen had distanced himself from Pandian, BJD secretary Pranab Prakash Das said: “It is Naveen Babu’s prerogative on who should remain in the meeting. ”Asked about a buzz that Pandian had offered to resign, a BJD leader said: “It is our internal matter. A committee has been formed to look into the reasons behind our defeat.”