5T Secy controls BJD party affairs, says Odisha BJP leader in scathing attack

Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader Pradip Purohit made a scathing attack on 5T Secretary VK Pandian today, alleging that the latter has taken over BJD party affairs. “The people of Odisha had voted for BJD, and above all Naveen Patnaik; but, who is 5T Secretary?” Purohit questioned.

Politics in the State has undergone substantial change over the past several years. As the 5T Secretary is a government servant and not a people’s representative, they are asking the same question. Pandian has now become the face of the ‘head of the government’ in Odisha, the BJP leader added.

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“We are neither opposed to the Chief Minister nor to the ministers in his Government. But, why the 5T Secretary is visiting several places across the State and making financial announcements of lakhs of rupees for the ‘so-called development’ in Odisha districts?” Purohit reiterated.

“BJD is not in the hands of the party leaders now; rather, it has gone to the hands of the 5T Secretary. Earlier he used to stand behind the Chief Minister and has come to the forefront these days. Many senior leaders of the ruling party are dissidents who have suppressed their resentments. Party tickets for the upcoming 2024 General Elections are in the hands of the 5T Secretary. The CM has already put his signature on the tickets and the latter will distribute the same,” the BJP leader stated.

“Keep my words in writing that even if BJD will win the elections in 2024, you will witness somebody else sitting on the chair of Chief Minister of Odisha. The CM has become excessively dependable on the 5T Secretary and doing exactly the same as the latter desires. I perceive an apparent revolt by many BJD leaders with self-respect in the party in coming days,” Purohit expressed.

Reacting to Purohit’s statement, Soro BJD MLA Parshuram Dhada said, “BJP has lost its ground in Odisha and hence making baseless allegations. People in the State are not in the mood to embrace the saffron party. 5T Secretary is also the Private Secretary to the CM. Party tickets in BJD are distributed to different candidates based on winnability criteria. 5T Secretary giving tickets is untrue.”

There is no internal bickering in ruling BJD. BJP has now scaled down its previous claim of winning in 120 seats to 80. The party, in a sense, has accepted its actual position as per ground realities, the Soro MLA added.