MALKANGIRI:In an outrageous display of VIP culture, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi and Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami of the ruling BJD chose to take a chopper ride to inaugurate a temple at MPV-69 village here which has communication access by all means.
Majhi, accompanied by Madkami flew from Chandahandi in Nabarangpur district to MPV-69 under Similibanchha panchayat of Podia block to inaugurate a temple on Thursday, a day after Shivaratri. More embarrassing is the fact that the helicopter was arranged by a civil contractor of MPV-69 village who works in Hyderabad.
The contractor, Uttam Kumar Mallick, reportedly spoke to the BJD MP a day before Shivaratri and requested him to attend the inauguration function of a Shiva temple in the village on Thursday. However, Majhi refused the invitation citing his tight schedule in his own area on the day. But when Mallick offered to arrange a helicopter ride for him, the MP changed his mind and agreed to pay a visit to MPV-69.
Meanwhile, the helicopter flight of Majhi and MLA Madkami has come in for sharp criticism from the locals as well as intelligentsia.
The amount of money spent on the chopper ride could have been used for infrastructure development, particularly in building roads to the village. This apart, the BJD leaders flying in a helicopter provided by a contractor only to inaugurate a temple also reeks of elitism, said locals. While Majhi could not be contacted despite all efforts, Mallick claimed that the villagers had hired the chopper for Majhi as they wanted him to visit MPV-69 to see the problems they are facing.