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Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik has dismissed a news report claiming he requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to disregard his trusted aide VK Pandian.
Patnaik labelled the report as “completely false, motivated, defamatory, and malicious,” reaffirming his earlier statements that Pandian has served the state and party with utmost dedication, efficiency, and integrity, earning respect and recognition for his contributions.
This is completely false, motivated, defamatory and malicious. As I have stated earlier Mr Pandian has served the state and party with utmost dedication efficiency and integrity and he is known and respected for the same.@NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/4cVZgVcxoD
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 22, 2024
The disputed report suggested that Patnaik had assured Shah of BJD’s support in the Rajya Sabha, where the Narendra Modi-led NDA is in the minority. It also alleged that Patnaik cautioned Shah about Pandian’s supposed attempts to negotiate with the BJP leadership to undermine the BJD in Odisha.
Despite the BJD having nine MPs in the Rajya Sabha and the BJP’s reduced strength of 86 members in the Upper House, the report claimed that the BJP leadership has chosen to align with Patnaik and dismiss Pandian for the time being.
Pandian has not yet responded to these allegations, but Patnaik has quickly come to his defence, as he did when Pandian faced criticism following BJD’s poll debacle in Odisha.
Patnaik had previously described the criticism of Pandian as “unfortunate,” stating that Pandian performed an “excellent job.” He clarified that Pandian had joined the party without holding any position and did not run in any elections.
In June, following the BJD’s disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, where the party failed to secure any Lok Sabha seats and saw its Assembly representation drop from 112 to 51, Pandian announced his retirement from active politics.
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