Ex-IAS Officer Sujata Rout Karthikeyan Set to Join Odisha Ruling BJD

Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and wife of bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian, is likely to join the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday, according to party sources.

Although the BJD has not officially confirmed her induction, party insiders indicate that BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is expected to formally welcome Karthikeyan into the party. A group of senior BJD leaders visited Naveen Niwas, the Chief Minister's residence, on Wednesday, where Patnaik is believed to have informed them about Karthikeyan's entry.

Former minister Tukuni Sahu, who worked with Karthikeyan when she served as secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, expressed support for the move. “We will support whatever decision is taken by the party president. When I was Minister for Women and Child Development, she had worked as secretary and was an able administrator. Her joining will be beneficial for the party,” Sahu said.

Karthikeyan, who retired from the IAS in 2023, has been a close associate of Patnaik's administration. Her husband VK Pandian, a former Odisha cadre IAS officer, resigned from service in November 2023 and joined the BJD, quickly becoming a prominent party figure. Political observers note that Karthikeyan's entry into the party further strengthens the influence of the Pandian family within the BJD.

The development comes amid ongoing discussions about leadership succession in the BJD, with Patnaik, 77, having led the party for over two decades. However, the party has not made any official statements regarding succession plans.