The BJP has frequently alleged that Mr Pandian exercises undue influence over Mr Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today dismissed claims that his campaign videos are manipulated using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Mr Patnaik's response, delivered with characteristic calm and wit, urged the BJP to "use their own intelligence" instead of making baseless allegations.
In a video released by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Mr Patnaik's former private secretary VK Pandian, the latter directly addresses the AI allegations, asking the Chief Minister to respond. Mr Patnaik replies, "That's great. They should use their own intelligence."
Mr Pandian, who joined the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in 2011 and has been a close aide to Mr Patnaik, has often been a target of BJP's criticism. His role expanded significantly in 2019 when he was appointed as the '5T Secretary,' a position designed to drive transformational initiatives across government departments. The BJP has frequently alleged that Mr Pandian exercises undue influence over Mr Patnaik, a claim they have reiterated amidst the current AI video controversy.
The BJP's accusations come at a critical time, coinciding with the fourth phase of elections in Odisha. The party has ramped up its campaign against the BJD, questioning Mr Patnaik's fitness to govern. BJP's Odisha unit chief Samir Mohanty yesterday cast doubt over the authenticity of Mr Patnaik's video messages, suggesting that AI technology might be used to create deepfake videos. Mr Mohanty argued that if the Chief Minister were genuinely making these statements, he would also do so in public forums.
Senior BJP leaders, in the past few weeks of high-octane campaigning in Odisha, have echoed these concerns. At a recent press conference, BJP State President Manmohan Samal, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda, and MP Aparajita Sarangi collectively questioned Mr Patnaik's fitness and capacity to lead.
Mr Panda, in particular, has been vocal on social media, accusing Patnaik of being manipulated by Pandian.
In a post on X, Mr Panda expressed dismay at what he termed as "puppet-like" manipulation of Mr Patnaik by Mr Pandian. He called for greater transparency, urging the public and media to demand live or publicly recorded messages from the Chief Minister to verify their authenticity.
"It's extremely sad to see Odisha's CM being manipulated like a puppet by his ex-bureaucrat, now 'politician' handler," Mr Panda wrote. "Contrast the AI-generated 'video messages' with actual videos from his public appearances. There is a world of difference. Insist on CM's live announcements or recordings in your presence. The people of Odisha deserve to know the truth."
BJD MP and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra responded to Mr Panda's comments with a pointed remark, implying that Mr Panda's recent eye surgery might be affecting his judgment. "Mr. Panda has just come out of the hospital and with an eye operation. I am not sure what has gone wrong with your intelligence, artificial or real. Please get well soon," Mr Patra retorted.
Both BJD and BJP had an alliance for around 11 years between 1998 and 2009, contesting three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections together. Odisha has witnessed simultaneous polls since 2004, with a consistent voting pattern until 2014, where voters typically favoured the BJD in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections. However, the 2019 elections saw a departure from this trend, with some degree of split voting observed.
The state has 21 Lok Sabha constituencies and 147 assembly constituencies. So far, polling has completed nine Lok Sabha seats and 63 assembly seats. The next two phases are scheduled to take place on May 25 and June 1.