INTERVIEW
V.K. PANDIAN, BJD LEADER
The BJP and the Congress have labelled him an outsider, but Pandian's rapport with the masses is evident; he is seen as the catalyst for progress in the state. Known as the '4am' officer because of his early starts and pre-dawn media briefings, Pandian is crisscrossing the state as the star campaigner for his party. THE WEEK caught up with him during his rally in Begunia, travelling with him in his AgustaWestland 109 chopper. He had a busy day with the manifesto release and numerous visitors to Patnaik's office, and he ate his final meal of the day—cereal—at six in the evening, before settling in for an interview. Excerpts:
Q/ Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is under 100 days away from becoming the longest-serving chief minister. Is the road to that landmark bumpy?
A/ This is the smoothest election. The 2014 and 2019 elections were challenging, but this is a one-sided election for Naveen babu.
Q/ What makes you so confident?
A/ I am on the ground, I see the people's emotions. They want to give their biggest aashirwaad (blessings) to Naveen babu to work hard for the state. See all the women and the youth, everyone is so excited.
Q/ A lot of women attend your rallies.
A/ The chief minister walks the talk when it comes to economic, political and financial empowerment of women. They have trust in him. They are deeply in love with Naveen babu. Women will be the biggest game changers, as always.
Q/ What are your new promises this time?
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
