Bhubaneswar: Five days after VK Pandian disappeared from media post-election results, the outgoing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Man Friday broke his silence by announcing his retirement from active politics.

"I withdraw myself from active politics," said Outgoing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's close aide in a video message addressing his partymen after a section of media questioned his whereabouts following the BJD's massive loss in Odisha Elections 2024.

The former bureaucrat, who was the BJD's chief election strategist, tendered his apology to the BJD workers and members for the party's loss in the elections.

"I am sorry if I have hurt anyone in this journey. I am sorry if the campaign narrative against me has had a part to play with Biju Janata Dal's loss. I apologise to the entire Biju Parivar including all the Karmis for this. And my heartfelt gratitude to the lakhs and lakhs of Biju Parivar members whom I was associated with. I will always keep Odisha in the core of my heart and my guru Naveen Babu in my breath and pray to Lord Jagannath for their wellbeing and prosperity.," Pandian said with a folded hand.

Through the video message, he clarified about his decision of leaving the IAS job and joining the BJD in Odisha.

"I left the IAS taking the voluntary retirement and joined the Biju Janata Dal to assist my mentor Shri Naveen Patnaik. My only intend was to help him as anyone would do for his mentor or family. I would like to set certain perception and narrative. Perhaps it was my shortcoming that I have not been able to effectively counter some of the political narrative at the right time," he said.

"I came to politics to help my mentor Naveen Patnaik ahead of the grueling elections. And I had no desire whatsoever for the specific political post or power. Therefore, I was neither a candidate nor was holding any post in Biju Janata Dal. For the last 12 years, I have tried to work from early in the morning till midnight keeping Odisha and Naveen Babu as my focus," he further reiterated.

To prove his honesty, he announced that he does not possess additional assets in his two-decade long service period.

Till today, the only property I have is what I inherited from my grandparents. I and my immediate family have no other property anywhere in the world. My property statement when I joined the Indian Administrative Service remains the same even today after 24 years. The biggest earning in my lifetime has been the love and affection and the goodwill of people of Odisha.

Yesterday, Patnaik had defended Pandian over party's debacle in the recently concluded elections.

"This is unfortunate. As an officer, he did excellent work in many fields in the last 10 years, helping during two cyclones and Covid-19 pandemic in state. After this good work, he retired from bureaucracy and joined my party and has contributed largely to that by doing excellent work. He is a person of integrity and honesty and should be remembered for all that," Patnaik had told reporters.