"Game of Thrones": Explosive political shift as VK Pandian, ex-IAS officer and perceived heir to Naveen Patnaik, formally joins BJD, a Tamilian's ascent sparks speculation on Odisha's next CM, from bureaucrat to potential CM whose 5T initiatives reshaped state dynamics
A former bureaucrat who is widely regarded as the successor of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has officially joined the ruling party of the state. VK Pandian, who retired from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) earlier this month, has become a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the party that has been in power in Odisha for more than two decades.