Behind BJP bid to target Pandian’s wife, plan to dent Patnaik’s SHG base, cut into BJD’s women vote bank

The Election Commission (EC)’s move transferring senior IAS officer Sujata R Karthikeyan, wife of bureaucrat-turned-BJD leader V K Pandian, from Mission Shakti to a “non-public facing department” came on a complaint filed by the BJP, which alleged that Karthikeyan was dealing with the public during the elections as a “BJD agent”.

BJP sources said that by lodging the complaint with the EC against Karthikeyan, the party wanted to send a message to the electorate about the alleged “misuse of the state’s women self-help groups (SHGs) by the BJD for political gains”.

Under Mission Shakti, the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government has formed over six lakh SHGs comprising around 70 lakh women. Under the SHG programme, the Patnaik government ensures bank loans to these SHGs to take up various livelihood activities. It is one of the priority programmes of the Patnaik dispensation. The rural women, which form a core support base of the BJD, have been one of the key factors for its successive electoral victories since 2000.

By targeting Pandian’s wife, who had been heading the Mission Shakti department as the secretary since 2021, the BJP has sought to dent the BJD’s hold over its rural women vote bank. Odisha is heading for simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in four phases beginning May 13.

Following the EC’s order, the Patnaik government has transferred Karthikeyan — who is considered as its “most trusted” bureaucrat — to the finance department as a special secretary. The EC’s action against her triggered a political slugfest between the BJD and the BJP.

BJP insiders said the party will now attempt to break into the SHG network, which has strong roots in every village.

Going after Karthikeyan, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal