Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan received a large-scale reception from supporters upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, 28 July, following his resignation from the Union Cabinet. The event drew sharp criticism from opposition parties Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, who alleged it was a calculated attempt to deflect public attention from Pradhan's alleged failures in office.

The Welcome at Bhubaneswar Airport

Hundreds of BJP supporters carrying placards and raising slogans gathered at Bhubaneswar airport to receive Pradhan. Several state government ministers, MLAs, and senior party leaders were also present at the reception.

Former Odisha BJP president Samir Mohanty praised the former minister, saying: 'As a son of Odisha, we, the 4.5 crore people of the state, are proud of Dharmendra Pradhan. He has proved himself through his organisational skills and leadership in both the party organisation and the government. He will always remain an inspiration to future generations.'

BJD Alleges NEET Failure Forced Resignation

The BJD mounted a pointed counter-narrative, alleging that Pradhan was compelled to step down amid nationwide protests over the NEET question paper leak scandal, and that the welcome event was designed to rehabilitate his public image rather than celebrate any achievement.

BJD Spokesperson Dr Lenin Mohanty told reporters that the NEET examination question paper had been leaked three times in the last five years, while hundreds of other examination papers had also reportedly been compromised. He further alleged that since the BJP assumed office in Odisha, as many as 22 examination papers had reportedly been leaked.

Mohanty claimed that 21 candidates, reportedly devastated after the question paper leak, allegedly died by suicide — a development he said triggered widespread resentment among students and led to a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. 'After the agitation continued for nearly one month and gained increasing nationwide support from students, Dharmendra Pradhan was compelled to resign. This exposed the failure of both Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and the BJP-led Central Government. However, to safeguard his public image, he is now organising such sponsored welcome programmes,' Mohanty stated.

Congress Questions the Moral Logic

Senior Congress leader Rama Chandra Kadam also raised questions about the optics of the reception. He asked why a minister who had tendered his resignation on moral grounds over examination paper leaks was being accorded such a grand public welcome in Odisha — a question the BJP did not publicly address at the event.

Context and What Comes Next

Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister came amid a protracted national controversy over the NEET paper leak, which drew protests from students and parents across the country. This comes amid broader scrutiny of examination integrity under the Centre, with multiple competitive exams facing allegations of irregularities in recent years.

How Pradhan repositions himself within Odisha's political landscape — and whether the BJP can contain the NEET controversy's electoral fallout in the state — will be closely watched in the months ahead.