What began as a celebration of educational progress in western Odisha quickly turned into a sharp political confrontation on Saturday as former Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan trained his guns on former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The occasion was the bhumi puja for the permanent campus of the long-awaited Kendriya Vidyalaya and the inauguration of its temporary building at Bhimabhoi College premises in Redhakhol. The admission process is already underway, and classes are set to begin from August 17 — a development residents of the area had been waiting for years.
Addressing a packed gathering at the Bhimabhoi College playground, Pradhan first highlighted the significance of the new school for local children. He stressed that development in education, agriculture, health and connectivity would be possible only through collective efforts cutting across party lines.
Then came the political broadside.
Pradhan reminded the crowd that he has served as a Union Minister for 12 years and never bowed his head in shame before the people of Odisha. Referring directly to Naveen Patnaik, he said the former Chief Minister has been calling him a ‘villain’ and ‘rogue’. “He is hatching a conspiracy by using two younger siblings,” Pradhan alleged, adding that he himself is a simple man from Sambalpur. “This is my place. Where else should I go if not here?” he asked.
He further questioned why he was being targeted when, according to him, four-and-a-half crore people of Odisha still hold him in high regard. Looking towards local BJD MLA and Opposition Deputy Leader Prasanna Acharya, who was present on the stage, Pradhan noted that the same MLA had invited him to the event and even welcomed him, yet the former Chief Minister continues to attack him.
Interestingly, the programme also included a birthday celebration for MLA Prasanna Acharya, adding an unusual twist to the political drama. While former BJD leader and earlier Redhakhol MLA Rohit Pujari has been critical of Pradhan, the incumbent MLA’s warm reception has sparked considerable discussion among locals about the evolving equations in the region.
Among those present on the dais were Rural Development Minister Rabi Nararan Naik, Deputy Commissioner Sardar Singh Chauhan, DIG Himanshu Lal, Collector Siddheswar Boliram Bondar, SP Mukesh Bhamu and several other senior officials and elected representatives.
Before the event, Pradhan planted saplings at Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya, offered floral tribute at the statue of Bhima Bhoi, performed the bhumi puja at the identified permanent site and formally opened the temporary campus in the old block of Bhimabhoi Mahavidyalaya.
The event underlined both the delivery of a long-pending educational facility and the continuing political rivalry between the BJP leader and the former BJD strongman.
