Bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian, who was in the line of fire after humiliating poll debacle of the BJD in Odisha, on Sunday announced retirement from active politics saying that “my intent of joining politics was only and only to assist my mentor Naveen Babu.”

Outgoing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s ex-private secretary Pandian had joined the BJD on 28 November, 2013 ahead of the twin polls more than a month after he resigned from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS).

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Tamil Nadu-born Pandian, a trusted lieutenant of Patnaik for more than a decade, was being groomed by Patnaik as his successor and wielded clout and power as the second most powerful leader within the party after Patnaik.

He managed the party affairs and poll campaign almost single handedly. With the BJD losing the polls, it was Pandian who faced the ire of party cadres for the loss.

Pandian’s video recorded statement came a day after outgoing Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik defended his closest aide amidst widespread criticism of Tamil Nadu-born ex-bureaucrat for the first electoral defeat of the regional party since its formation 27 years back.

Stating that he did not nurture any ambition for power, Pandian said “My only intent was to help Naveen Babu as anyone would do for his mentor or family. I would like to set the stride for certain perceptions and narratives. Perhaps it has been my shortcoming for not having effectively countered some of the political narratives at the right time. I reiterate that I came to politics for my mentor Naveen Patnaik ahead of the grueling elections. I had no desire whatsoever for a specific political post or power. Therefore I was neither a candidate nor was holding any post in BJD.”

Pandian said coming from a very humble background, becoming an IAS officer was his dream and to date, properties he inherited from his grandparents are the only assets he and his family own.

Pandian added he joined the chief minister’s office twelve years ago and took voluntary retirement from civil services only to help Patnaik in the polls.

“For the last 12 years I have worked right from early morning till midnight keeping Odisha and Naveen babu as focus. Till today, the only property that I have is what I inherited from my grandparents. My immediate family has no other property anywhere in the world. My property statement when I joined the IAS remains the same even today after 24 years”, Pandian said.

“My intent of joining politics was only and only to assist Naveen Babu. Now consciously I decide to withdraw myself from active politics. I am sorry if I have hurt anyone in this journey. I am sorry if this campaign narrative against me has had a part to play in BJD’s loss. I apologize to the entire Biju Parivar including all the cadres for this. I will always keep Odisha in the core of my heart and my guru Naveen Babu in my breadth,” he concluded.

A resurgent BJP had chalked out its strategy well ahead of polls to rake up the Odia pride issue given the all-pervasive dominance of the Tamil politician in BJD and Patnaik’s over dependence on his trusted aide.

As the saffron party ruled out the coalition with the regional party on 14 March and decided to fight alone the polls to uphold the Odia pride and rigorously focused Odia Ashmita and self-pride in its high-octane poll campaign. The poll issue raised by it paid dividends as the saffron party dethroned the regional party in State politics and reduced it to ‘zero’ in the Lok Sabha polls.