What Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation means for Odisha politics?

Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. File | Photo Credit: PTI Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister has undoubtedly dented the image of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Though he is unlikely to return to the Union Cabinet in the near future, his stature as a party strongman in Odisha remains largely intact.Mr. Pradhan is Odisha’s longest-serving Union Minister and arguably its most influential leader. As a key figure in the BJP’s inner circle, he has wielded more power in the Centre than any politician from the State since the late Biju Patnaik. Published - July 27, 2026 09:38 pm IST