Dharmendra Pradhan's visit to Congress leader Narasingha Mishra’s residence stirs political speculation

Union Education & Skill Development Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan recently visited the residence of veteran Congress leader and former Bolangir MLA Narasingha Mishra. This visit sparked political speculation across the State on Sunday.

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Minister Pradhan inaugurated an agriculture-based event at an organisation owned by the Congress leader’s son Samarendra, where Pradhan lauded Samarendra’s commitment to advancing agricultural practices. The senior BJP leader also acknowledged Narasingha Mishra’s longstanding political contributions.

The informal meeting, which also included interactions with Narasingha’s sons, Amarendra and Samarendra, attracted the attention from political observers. It is said that three local BJP MLAs also participated in the inauguration ceremony, adding to the intrigue.

In response to the apparent political manoeuvring, senior Congress leader from the district Santosh Singh Saluja expressed scepticism. In contrast, a local BJP figure Gopalji Panigrahi refrained from direct commentary but noted the inherent unpredictability in politics.

Visit that sparked political debate

“The Union Minister said in his speech, ‘the main person is behind the screen’. Residents of Bolangir district, people of Odisha, and Congress party members want to know who was behind the screen? Who among the BJP leaders was behind?” Saluja questioned.

“That was his (Dharmendra Pradhan’s) personal programme and not a programme of the BJP. His visit to the district (Ovo Farm Pvt Ltd) has certainly sparked debate as people are unable to accept it to be something normal,” BJP’s Gopalji Panigrahi said to OTV.

“Throwing mud at each other has already started within Congress party. Let us wait and see what will happen in the future and ‘Ken Adar Paani Ken Ade Jauchhe’ (meaning, in which direction the water would flow),” local BJP leader Panigrahi further said.

Addressing the political debates, Samarendra Mishra clarified that while perceptions were beyond their control, any speculation about their joining the BJP was unfounded. Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has not yet commented on these developments.

“Everyone should be able to differentiate between the personal programmes and political programmes. Is not anyone attending the marriage functions of political leaders? Had the Odisha PCC chief (Bhakta Charan Das) not visited the house of the Minister 
(Dharmendra Pradhan), when Pradhan's father recently died? Hence, there is nothing to think so much,” Samarendra Mishra stated.

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“Since he (the Union Minister) had a programme in the district, and as we had invited him, so he came. There should be no doubt about it,” Samarendra Mishra added.