Former IAS officer Sujata Rout Karthikeyan has formally joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). During her induction, Naveen Patnaik reaffirmed that he would lead the party in the next elections, addressing speculation over the BJD’s future leadership
OdishaPlus Bureau
Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, a former IAS officer and spouse of V. K. Karthikeyan, a close associate of Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik, officially entered politics by joining the regional party on June 25, following a lengthy career in the bureaucracy.
She became a member of the BJD in the presence of former Odisha Chief Minister and party president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. Karthikeyan, who is a 2000-batch IAS officer from the Odisha cadre, had opted for voluntary retirement in 2025. Her political engagement comes in the wake of the BJD’s loss in the 2024 elections.
“I would like to extend a warm welcome to Sujata Rout to the BJD. She will be joining as a regular member of the party. Having served as an IAS officer, she has held numerous significant roles, including her most recent position, which involved overseeing various women’s initiatives in our State,” stated Patnaik.
“I am confident that as time progresses and she acclimates to her new role, she will learn to assist people, especially women,” he added.
In a noteworthy declaration, Patnaik emphasized, “I want to reiterate for the media and everyone else that I will indeed be leading the BJD in the upcoming elections. I wish to make that abundantly clear.”
The announcement regarding Rout joining as a regular member and Patnaik’s leadership in the next elections carries significant implications, effectively addressing the ongoing discussions about succession within the regional party.
“Having joined the party, I have been granted another chance to serve Odisha under Patnaik’s leadership. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, the party leadership, and countless party workers, I will dedicate myself sincerely and devotedly to the people of Odisha,” remarked Rout.
Previously, the former bureaucrat received a grand welcome at Sankha Bhawan, the BJD’s party office in Bhubaneswar, where party workers, particularly women leaders, were at the forefront to escort her into the office.
Following her tenure as the collector of Sundargarh and Cuttack, Rout gained prominence through her involvement with Mission Shakti, the flagship initiative for women’s empowerment by the Odisha government. She played a crucial role in mobilizing seven million individuals across six hundred thousand self-help groups.