VK Pandian: Rahul Gandhi won't know much about marriage

BJD leader V K Pandian took out time from campaigning in Koraput and Malkangiri districts to speak to TOI about CM Naveen Patnaik , attack from the opposition and more. Excerpts from an interview

BJP claims the CM is contesting from two seats so as to vacate one for you...

The chief minister enjoys such immense popularity in the state that there is demand from all the 147 constituencies to make him contest from their areas. It is the love, affection and trust they have for the chief minister and the belief they have that if he stands from their constituency, it will be transformed forever. As regards BJP's criticism, they can say whatever they want. We are clear as to what we are doing.

PM Modi has said ' Odia asmita ' is in danger?

I have not heard what the PM said about 'Odia asmita'. State BJP leaders have been speaking about it. Given the place that Biju Patnaik occupies in Odia psyche and Odia pride, what has the BJP govt done in the last 10 years for Biju Babu? So many people from across the country have been given Bharat Ratna. Does Biju Babu not deserve a Bharat Ratna?

Aparajita Sarangi and Dharmendra Pradhan have collectively tried to stall three major projects related to Odia pride and identity - Shree Mandira Parikrama project, the Samalei project and the Lingraj project. What right do they have to talk about 'Odia asmita'? What commitment do they have for 'Odia asmita'?

BJP president JP Nadda has said there is an attempt to elevate an outsider as CM of Odisha ?

BJP is the largest party in the world, and the people of Odisha felt really sad to see the BJP chief flanked by Pradeep Panigrahy on one side and Manmohan Samal on the other in Berhampur. Panigrahy has been charge-sheeted, he was in jail for a long time and is out on bail. Samal had an unceremonious exit as a minister for certain happenings in Odisha Bhawan in 2008.

How do you respond to BJP branding you as an outsider?

I am a proud Indian by birth. I am an Odia by breath. Both my children have Odia as their mother tongue and Odisha is their motherland. Finally, people of Odisha will decide whether I am an outsider or one amongst them. The real issues of the common man are price rise and unemployment, about which BJP should answer.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged there is a BJP-BJD marriage in Odisha...

With due respect, Rahul ji is a bachelor and will not be knowing much about marriage. Rather, he should be careful about the unethical relationship between BJP and Congress, especially in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur parliamentary constituencies. I am putting this on record.

Rahul said BJP-BJD offering Odisha PANN, trying to drive home the point that Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and Naveen Patnaik are together...

I am so happy that finally Rahul ji has got a good back-office team. In 2014, had he got such a team, he would not have been so badly panned on social media and, maybe, would have got 30-40 more seats.

How do you see the personal attack on you when you have been praising Modi-Naveen friendship?

I've been witness to their friendship for quite some time. It's more than a decade old, from the time when the PM was the chief minister of Gujarat. The state BJP has been attacking me since 2014. They have attacked my house. They have been attacking me on social media and on every platform possible. That is their style of functioning as they have not done any work for Odisha. They cannot talk about their work, so they choose to target me.

If Naveen returns to power, what will be the focus of governance?

Naveen Patnaik's governance is a continuous plan of action. He has clear-cut goals on what to do. In fact, he has a vision and plan of how Odisha should be in 2036, when Odisha will celebrate 100 years of its formation. He has kept a window of 10 years from 2024 to 2034 with a two-year buffer. He calls it the decade of the youth.

What will be BJD's main poll plank?

To continue the good work that has already been done in order to bring about an empowered Odisha. Health assurance for all with an expansion in Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) coverage. Quality education for all with schools being taken up under 5T transformation. To create an ecosystem for the youth to dream big and empower them to achieve their dreams, and through them to build a new Odisha.

Your criticisms have mainly centred around state BJP and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but not the central BJP. Why?

We are a regional party and our main focus is issues relating to our state. One should see this in that context. Dharmendra Pradhan has been fortunate to be a cabinet minister for the last 10 years. No one from Odisha has ever got this kind of an opportunity. To the utter dismay of the people of Odisha, he didn't do anything for the state. The people of Odisha deserve to know the role he has played in the last 10 years and how he has actively used his power to obstruct the state's progress.

He has purposely delayed the coastal highway project which would have been of immense benefit to the people of Odisha. He is contesting from Sambalpur, but he purposely used his power to stall the work of Maa Samaleswari temple. He is accountable to the people of Odisha for all this and more. His only aim has been to somehow get into the chair of the chief minister.

Was Puri heritage project a tactic to divert attention from the Ram Mandir?

The Shree Mandira Parikrama project started well before the Supreme Court orders were out for the Ram Mandir. Rather, the Shree Mandira project got delayed due to Dharmendra Pradhan and his insistence that this project should not happen.

Who proposed the BJP-BJD coalition and who disposed of it?

Nobody proposed the coalition and no talks ever failed. If talks at all happened it was because of the respect that both leaders share for each other and the statesman like qualities they show towards a larger cause.

Why didn't you contest the election?

I was clear from day one that I am joining politics to help my guru, guide and philosopher, Shri Naveen Patnaik.

How has the transition been from a bureaucrat to a politician?

I see both as a medium to serve the people.

Odisha's transformation has been dubbed a publicity stunt...

The CM has transformed disaster management in Odisha. From a state known for hunger deaths and food shortage, Odisha is now food surplus and the third largest contributor to the national public distribution system. Odisha is now known as the sports capital of the country. The chief minister has worked hard for the dignity of women, tribals, farmers and others. The will of the people cannot be managed for 24 years by stunts. Actual delivery has to happen for a leader to continue to be the chief minister for such a long duration.