Odisha Chief Minister Courts Controversy Over Allotment Of Luxury Bungalow In Delhi

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi courts seems to have landed in a bit of a controversy over his decision to opt for an official Type 7 VIP bungalow in Delhi’s posh 2 Teen Murti locality – close to the residence of the Union Cabinet Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Majhi is the first CM from Odisha to opt for a luxury type of residence in Delhi. Earlier, Odisha CMs while visiting the Capital stayed either at Odisha Bhawan (now officially closed for redevelopment) or stayed at the central government accommodation or at designated hotels. Majhi’s VIP culture has set tongues wagging. BJD, the Opposition party led by Naveen Patnaik, has taken a potshot at Majhi’s VIP culture and questioned the need for a luxurious bungalow in Delhi even though it has been officially allotted to him. The general ask is: why is Majhi who comes from a humble tribal background fostering VIP culture? And many say this is a wasteful expenditure since CM Majhi is not staying in Delhi permanently. Questions are also being asked about the security cost — 30 Odisha police platoons along with bullet proof vehicles have been deployed to look after CM’s security. By opting to have a permanent resident close to Dharmendra Pradhan’s house, political commentators now ask is it a preparatory signal for the next election?