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Former Odisha chief secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik on Friday joined the Congress in New Delhi and vowed to work for the "re-establishment" of democracy in the state to make the voices of people heard.
Patnaik, who retired in 2013, joined the Congress in the presence of All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal, Odisha party in-charge A Chellakumar and state unit president Sarat Pattanayak.
He also met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
"The situation is such in Odisha that the system needs cleansing. People are facing problems because their public representatives and MPs are saying that they are helpless. Democratic channels have been blocked and it is necessary to revive the system to make the voice of the people heard," he told PTI after joining the Congress.
"This is also required to help bring some qualitative gains for the state," he said, adding that, "We have to reboot the system."
He claimed even the media is debarred from entering the secretariat and reaching out to the chief minister and thus changes need to be made in the governance model in Odisha.
"I have joined politics with an aim to cleanse the system in Odisha, where people are currently feeling helpless under the prevailing governance model," Patnaik told reporters earlier.
"At present, a peculiar situation prevails in the state... people do not know who to approach in times of need as MLAs and ministers are unable to resolve their issues," he said.
The former IAS officer also said that he would not hesitate to contest elections in 2024.
"I will work to end misrule and re-establish democracy in Odisha," he said.
Asked why he chose the Congress, Patnaik said, "The Congress is the alternative that we see for ourselves. The Congress is the oldest party, has liberal values and always follows an open-door policy," Patnaik said, alleging that the doors of Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal are closed for people.
On why he did not prefer to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, "When we are talking of an alternative, only the Congress is the real alternative as the BJD and the BJP are on the same page."
Earlier, speculation was rife that the former chief secretary would join the ruling BJD, given his close proximity to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Odisha Congress in-charge Chellakumar said that Patnaik, with his vast experience in public life, will strengthen the party.
Odisha Congress chief Pattanayak also said that the former IAS officer joining the party will infuse new energy and enthusiasm in its rank and file.
Patnaik is remembered as "people's chief secretary" due to his amiable and accessible nature.
He was the principal secretary to three successive chief ministers -- Giridhar Gomango (Congress), late Hemanand Biswal (Congress), and Naveen Patnaik (BJD).
He served as the principal secretary to Naveen Patnaik for six years (2004-2010) before he became the chief secretary (2010-2013).
Prior to this, Patnaik was considered the "blue-eyed man" of late chief minister J B Pattnaik (1980-1989 and 1995-1999) and helped manage MLAs not only from the Congress and the BJD but also from the BJP when there was a coalition ministry of the BJD and the BJP from 2004 to 2009, according to sources.
After retirement, he kept himself busy with the issues of farmers, especially the Farmer Producer Organisations, and was engaged in promoting enterprise among the youth.
Sources close to Patnaik said he has come out after his retirement due to the BJD's "misrule" over the last 10 years and to spearhead a silent movement against the current dispensation.