TNI Bureau: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) questioned the decision of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take a VIP bungalow in New Delhi, alleging unnecessary expenditure from the state exchequer and raising concerns over governance being influenced from the national capital.
Addressing a press conference at Sankha Bhawan, BJD spokesperson and media coordinator Dr Lenin Mohanty, along with party spokesperson Tumbanath Panda, said that Mr Majhi has become the first Chief Minister of Odisha to be allotted a VIP bungalow in Delhi. According to information cited by the party, the Central government has allotted Bungalow No. 2 at Teen Murti Lane, a high-security VIP area in the national capital.
The BJD also questioned the security arrangements, stating that instead of relying on Delhi Police, which usually provides security to visiting Chief Ministers as per protocol, one platoon of armed Odisha Police personnel has been deployed for the Chief Minister’s security in Delhi, along with bulletproof vehicles. The party alleged that this arrangement involves substantial expenditure from the state treasury and demanded that the government justify the need for such measures.
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Dr Mohanty pointed out that Odisha already has facilities such as Odisha Bhawan, Odisha Niwas and Odisha Sadan in Delhi to meet official requirements. He said that after Odisha Bhawan was demolished for reconstruction, arrangements were already made for the Chief Minister’s stay in a star hotel during Delhi visits. Despite this, the decision to take a separate VIP bungalow was questioned by the party.
The BJD further compared the move with the tenure of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, stating that despite serving for 24 years, he never opted for a state-funded bungalow in Delhi and led a simple lifestyle. Dr Mohanty asked why such an arrangement was needed within a short period of Mr Majhi’s tenure and whether internal power struggles within the BJP had led to security concerns.
Spokesperson Tumbanath Panda said that after the formation of a “double-engine government” in the state, people had expected increased central assistance and funds for Odisha. However, he alleged that despite frequent visits by the Chief Minister to Delhi, central grants have not increased, pending dues remain unpaid, and the state’s debt burden has risen significantly over the past one-and-a-half years.
The BJD demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Majhi provide a clear explanation to the people of Odisha regarding the necessity and justification of spending public money on a VIP bungalow and special security arrangements in Delhi.
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