Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday said its leader V K Pandian was on a tour to New Delhi on the direction of party president Naveen Patnaik.
Speaking to media persons in Bhubaneswar, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said a section of media has issued unfounded and misleading reports about the visit of Pandian to New Delhi. The BJD leader has gone to the national capital on the instructions of the party president, he added.
“We appeal to the media to desist from telecasting such reports without verifying the facts. There are no norms for the leader of any party to go on a tour without any informing the media. Hence, the media should not mislead the people ill-intended news,” he said.
It may be noted that there was a speculation regarding the whereabouts of Pandian as he had remained untraceable after the BJD’s poll debacle in the state. Considered as number two in BJD after party supremo Naveen Patnaik, he played a key role in the regional party’s election management and campaign.
His assertion about BJD’s big win and Naveen taking oath as chief minister for record sixth term on June 9 failed as BJP demolished regional party in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Following this, he had neither appeared before any media nor issued any statement on the party’s performance.
Later in the day, it was reported that the bureaucrat-turned-politician had flown to New Delhi and was staying in a star hotel.