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Sujata is seen as an ideal candidate due to her deep local roots. Unlike her husband, who was seen as an outsider despite his close association with the former Odisha Chief Minister, Sujata is a native of Baluria village in Pattamundei block, Kendrapara district.
2000 batch IAS officer, Sujata Karthikeyan led Naveen Patnaik’s Mission Shakti project for over six years. (Image: ANI)
Last year, following the dismal performance of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in elections, VK Pandian, a trusted aide of BJP chief Naveen Patnaik, announced his retirement from politics. However, the two were recently seen together at Coimbatore airport. A brief video shows Naveen Patnaik leading in his characteristic white attire, with Pandian following, smiling at someone off-camera. Local news suggested they traveled from Kerala based on the vehicle’s registration number.
Around the same time as their eyebrows-raising sight, comes a political shift of gear by the veteran politician. For the first time in years, Patnaik joined the opposition bloc, despite historically being seen as friendly to the BJP, which had caused friction with other opposition parties. His recent travel to Chennai at the invitation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to discuss delimitation issues indicates a clear strategic shift, allegedly influenced by Pandian, who is from Tamil Nadu.
Amidst this, Sujata Karthikeyan opted for Voluntary Retirement Service (VRS) and was quickly relieved by the government. This has sparked discussions in Bhubaneshwar about whether Patnaik plans to fill the political void with Sujata, an acceptable local figure from Kendrapara who has significantly contributed to financial independence for many, while Pandian continues to guide behind the scenes.
Why Sujata Could Be An Acceptable Face
Sujata is seen as an ideal candidate due to her deep local roots. Unlike her husband, who was seen as an outsider despite his close association with the former Odisha Chief Minister, Sujata is a native of Baluria village in Pattamundei block, Kendrapara district. She comes from a lower-middle-class family. During the Odisha Assembly election, Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Pandian’s non-Odia roots, emphasizing the need for a local leader. Sujata’s local origin contrasts sharply with this critique, making her more acceptable.
Moreover, Sujata’s gender and her track record in women’s welfare add to her appeal. A 2000 batch IAS officer, she led Naveen Patnaik’s Mission Shakti project for over six years. This initiative, targeting 70 lakh women and their families, was a cornerstone of Patnaik’s voter base. Launched in 2001 to provide institutional finance to self-help groups in rural Odisha, Sujata expanded its reach dramatically, from Rs 500 crore in credit linkages to Rs 15,000 crore over seven years. She introduced zero-interest loans up to Rs 10 lakh to promote women’s entrepreneurship and integrated these self-help groups into various government projects, including bill collection, road construction, public infrastructure management, and operating Laxmi buses.
Highly influential in the Patnaik administration, Sujata was trusted to operate with significant autonomy and earned the trust of numerous women. She facilitated the distribution of scooters to self-help groups and organized international exposure trips for selected members. Her accomplishments and some serious coincidences clashing with her VRS decision make her an ideal fit for the public role left by her husband VK Pandian.
