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The previous BJD government spent Rs 15.26 crore from the State exchequer to use former 5T secretary VK Pandian’s pictures in various advertisements, informed Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Responding to a question from BJP MLA Laxaman Bag, CM Majhi, in a written reply, said, “The previous BJD government spent Rs 452.96 crore from the state exchequer for advertisements in the last five years including Rs 15.26 crore to use photo of VK Pandian in the ads.”
According to sources, the money was spent by the various departments of the Odisha government to use Pandian’s photos in the ads.
While Rs 15.26 core was spent on print media ads for promoting Pandian, details about the expenses on electronic and digital media ads is yet to be known.
Meanwhile, questions are now being raised about how and under whose directive such a huge amount of money was used for the promotion of a secretary-level officer? Besides, it is also believed that BJP may also launch an investigation into the expenses of the previous BJD government in promoting Pandian through these ads.
Later in the day, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty responded by saying, “They (BJP) should show the advertisement to prove even Re 1 was spent for his (VK Pandian) advertisement”.
“Odisha government under the leadership of Naveen Babu was spending money like water for Pandian babus promotion. Instead of making money available for projects, the then government spent money freely for his promotion. The BJD government’s top priority was image building of Naveen Babu and Pandian Babu,” said Anil Biswal, BJP spokesperson.
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Earlier, the Mohan Majhi-led government has also assured an investigation into Pandian’s whirlwind tours across Odisha after RTI query revealed that crores of rupees was spent on his chopper rides.
