Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi prefers luxurious living as Odisha faces several pressing issues, much like Nero playing the fiddle as Rome burned, the BJD said Saturday over the BJP government spending Rs 3.31 crore to renovate his two official residences.
An RTI query by activist PK Pradhan revealed that Rs 3.31 crore was spent for repair and renovation works at the Chief Minister’s two official residences here. He said the government, however, declined to disclose the administrative and technical approvals for the works for the CM’s residence, citing security concerns.
The General Administration and Public Grievance Department, in its reply, stated that while Rs 2,32,52,855 was incurred on works at Quarter No. VIIDS-1 in Unit-V, Rs 98,56,883 was spent at Government Quarter No. B-1 in Unit-II during 2024-25 and 2025-26, Pradhan said.
The department said Majhi is a Z+ protectee and the security of his official residence forms an integral part of the overall security architecture, he quoted the reply as saying.
The BJD questioned how the BJP dispensation, that claims to be a pro-people government and has loaned Rs 1,38,000 crore in just two years, could justify spending Rs 3.31 crore on the repair and renovation of the chief minister’s official residences.
Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, “While claiming to be a chief minister of the masses, maintaining two residences in the first place and spending a huge amount from the state exchequer on their repair and upgradation reflects Majhi’s luxurious mindset.”
“The BJP had promised to make Odisha the number one state in the country, but its government has become number one in inefficiency. It would not be an exaggeration to say that among all the parties that have come to power in Odisha, the BJP stands first in terms of inefficiency.”
“At a time when the people of Odisha are suffering from various problems, the Chief Minister appears to prefer living in luxury, much like Nero playing the fiddle while Rome was burning,” he said and accused the government of spending crores on self-promotion.
Neither the CMO nor the BJP has reacted to the BJD’s allegation of high spending on the CM’s residences in Bhubaneswar.
PTI