VK Pandian's Wife Sujata Rout Joins Naveen's Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal
VK Pandian's Wife Sujata Rout Joins Naveen's Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal Published By, Last Updated: June 25, 2026, 15:49 IST Sujata, a native of Kendrapara
VK Pandian's Wife Sujata Rout Joins Naveen's Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal Published By, Last Updated: June 25, 2026, 15:49 IST Sujata, a native of Kendrapara district, said she would work sincerely for the people of the state. Rapid Read News18 bureaucrat Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, wife of former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian, formally joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday. Announcing Rout’s induction at Sankha Bhawan, the party headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik said she has been an IAS officer and held several important positions. “I am sure, as time passes, she will get used to her new position. She will learn to lead people, particularly women," he added.
Sujata, a native of Kendrapara district, said she would work sincerely for the people of the state. “I have availed opportunities to serve the people of Odisha for 24 years under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. Today, I got the same opportunity again to serve the people of Odisha under his leadership," she told reporters after joining the party. “I will work for the people of Odisha with sincerity and dedication, with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, party leaders and millions of BJD workers," she added. An IAS officer of the 2000 batch, Sujata resigned from the civil services on March 13, 2025. She is widely credited with expanding Mission Shakti, the women’s empowerment programme of the previous BJD government.
Following the BJD’s defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Pandian quit active politics. However, Patnaik also said that he would continue to lead the BJD in the next elections. “I would like to repeat again for the information of the media and all other people that, of course, I will lead the BJD in the next elections. I want to make it very clear," he said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Saurabh Verma Senior Sub-editor Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor.
He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Location: Bhubaneswar, India, India First Published: June 25, 2026, 15:49 IST News india VK Pandian's Wife Sujata Rout Joins Naveen's Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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