Bhubaneswar, 25 June (H.S.): In a significant political development in Odisha, Former IAS officer and VK Pandian's wife Sujata Rout Karthikeyan formally joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday in the presence of party president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The induction ceremony was held at Sankha Bhawan, the BJD headquarters in Bhubaneswar, and was attended by several senior party leaders, including former ministers, Members of Parliament, and legislators.
Welcoming Sujata Karthikeyan into the party, Naveen Patnaik officially announced her induction, bringing an end to weeks of speculation surrounding her political future. Party sources indicated that the decision to induct the former bureaucrat was taken directly by the BJD supremo.
A 2006-batch IAS officer, Sujata Karthikeyan resigned from government service earlier this year. Her entry into active politics has attracted considerable attention, particularly due to her association with former bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian, who played a prominent role in the BJD during the final years of the Naveen Patnaik-led government.
Speaking after joining the BJD, Sujata Karthikeyan expressed gratitude to Naveen Patnaik for giving her another opportunity to serve the people of Odisha.
“I was fortunate to work under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik and serve the people of Odisha for the past 24 years. Today, I feel blessed to once again get an opportunity to work for the state under his guidance. With the grace of Lord Jagannath and the blessings of lakhs of BJD workers, I will continue to serve Odisha with complete dedication and commitment,” she said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
