Putting all speculation to rest, V.K. Pandian, a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on December 15 told the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) that he would not contest the Lok Sabha election or the Assembly election next year.
After Mr. Pandian joined the BJD in November, there were rumours that the former IAS officer would contest elections.
Mr. Pandian was appointed Chairman of the ‘5T’ transformational initiative of the State government in the rank of a Cabinet Minister. The Tamil Nadu-born former bureaucrat is widely perceived to be the successor to Mr. Patnaik.