Bhubaneswar, Dec 15: Putting all speculation to rest, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday said that former IAS officer VK Pandian, a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, would not contest the Lok Sabha elections or the State Assembly elections in 2024.

Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra informed this at a press briefing after the party's State executive committee meeting here.

“Pandian has clarified that he will serve the state as per the instructions of the Chief Minister. He said he will not contest the assembly elections. Though there is no bar on him contesting the elections,” Mishra said.

Following Pandian's joining the BJD on November 27, 2023, there were rumours that the former IAS officer will contest elections.

Mishra said as many as 32 proposals including 16 vote of thanks proposals were presented and passed following discussions at the party’s executive body meeting here Friday.

The BJD state executive thanked people of Odisha and CM Patnaik for the consecutive wins in various elections to the state assembly, Lok Sabha, Panchayats, municipalities and the by-elections during the more than two decades since 2000.

CM Patnaik was thanked for the steps taken for the propagation of Jagannath culture and consciousness, successful implementation of Shree Jagannath Corridor project, preservation and restoration of different religious and heritage places such as Shree Lingaraj, Maa Samalei and Tara Tarini temples.

Similarly, the party leaders held discussions on vote of thanks proposals over flagship programmes like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojna, various food and social security schemes, rapid industrialisation, and development of sports infrastructure, IT sector, and improvement in irrigation system and various other achievements.

The party has also decided to hold training programmes for its Panchayat and zonal level workers at the Sankha Bhavan, party headquarters in view of the general elections scheduled to be held next year.

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Mishra said that panchayat level meetings will be held after the celebration of the party’s foundation day. Meanwhile, a campaign will also be launched at Panchayat level from Netaji Jayanti on January 23 to Biju Jayanti on March 5, 2024 to highlight the achievements of the BJD government and its development agenda.

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