VK Pandian’s wife, IAS Sujata Karthikeyan, opts for VRS; political speculation heats up amid Naveen Patnaik’s recent moves

​Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sujata Karthikeyan, wife of Biju Janta Dal (BJD) leader VK Pandian, has applied for voluntary retirement from service (VRS), according to sources.

Approximately 15 days ago, she submitted her application to the central government, which has reportedly approved her request. Karthikeyan, a 2000-batch IAS officer, has previously served as the Special Secretary in the Odisha Finance Department.​

Notably, in November 2024, the Odisha government declined her application for a six-month extension of childcare leave, instructing her to resume duties immediately. It is also worth mentioning that she had initially taken leave following the 2024 general elections, during which the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) faced a significant defeat. ​

VK Pandian, a former IAS officer himself, took VRS in 2023 and subsequently joined the BJD. Pandian, considered a close aide to former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

As of now, there has been no official statement from Sujata Karthikeyan or the central government regarding her VRS application and future plans.

The timing of the VRS has raised eyebrows and political suspicions as it came mere days after Naveen Patnaik, the Leader of Opposition in Odisha, along with VK Pandian, was observed at Coimbatore Airport in Tamil Nadu on Friday.

Their visit further coincided with the ongoing session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, which commenced on February 13 and is scheduled to continue until April 5. 

In response to inquiries about the visit, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators could not provide a definitive reason.

All of these developments follow Naveen Patnaik's recent support for a meeting of Opposition parties convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to discuss constituency delimitation, leading to speculation about a potential shift in Patnaik’s political strategy.