Demolition activities at government residential quarters allotted to the BJD’s organisational secretary, Pranab Prakash Das, aka Bobby, have raised a political storm in Odisha.

The BJD had pitted Pranab against the BJP’s Dharmendra Pradhan from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency. However, he lost the election to Pradhan.

The house was allotted to Das when he was an MLA. After the BJP government came to power, Das was served a notice to vacate the house. More than 20 labourers were then engaged to demolish various extensions of the quarters. No one was allowed inside the premises which was built on half an acre of land near the governor’s house.

According to reports, the government quarter had an underground floor, a three-storey building and a swimming pool. Das’s critics said heaps of money was spent on modernising the quarters which looked like bungalows.

Das said: “The government quarters will be in my possession till July 15. There is a rule that the government quarter needs to be returned in the same condition as when it was taken for possession. So the demolition is on. I will return the house the way I had acquired it.”

On the issue of the extension of the government residential house, Das said: “Many people used to visit my house as I am the party’s organisational secretary. For the comfort of their stay and their convenience, temporary extensions were made. It is natural. But keeping the vested interest in mind, people are spreading various stories to diminish me in the public eye.”

The BJP said the demolition activities were being conducted to hide Das’s various black deeds. “Why has there been a hurry to demolish the extension part of the house?” questioned BJP leader Anil Biswal.

Amid the demolition report, a general administration team inspected the site to ensure that no damage had been caused to the building’s original structure.

A former BJD minister, Raghunandan Das, landed in a controversy after he reportedly unleashed a dog on a journalist trying to capture photos of the demolished government quarter on Tuesday. The journalist, Chinmayee Sahu, has lodged an FIR against Das.

Sources said that as the allotted quarter was locked from inside, Chinmayee and her photographers tried to take photos of the house from Das’ house, which is located next to Pranab’s.

This act of trespassing irritated Das, and he unleashed the dog to drive away the journalist from his residence.