India, June 26 -- Former bureaucrat Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, wife of former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik's close aide VK Pandian, formally joined the BJD on Thursday. Patnaik announced her induction after a meeting at Sankha Bhawan, the party headquarters here.

"I would like to welcome Sujata Rout to the BJD. She will be joining the party as a simple member. She has been an IAS officer and held several important positions, including her last assignment, where she looked after many women of our state," Patnaik said. "I am sure, as time passes, she will get used to her new position. She will learn to lead people, particularly women," he added.

Amid speculation that Sujata could eventually take over the reins of the party, Patnaik ...