Kolkata: Former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s contributions to the country’s education, women empowerment and the rise of eastern India will endure for generations, CM Suvendu Adhikari said “with a heavy heart” in a social media post on Friday night.“Public life often demands difficult decisions, but the contributions he has made towards nation-building will endure for generations,” Adhikari posted and added: “Through the NEP 2020, he laid the foundation for an education system that nurtures strong foundational literacy, promotes multidisciplinary learning and equips our youth with advanced skills to compete confidently on the global stage.”The CM went on to highlight Pradhan’s work in the East. “He firmly believed that the immense potential, resources and talent of the eastern states, including West Bengal, must become a driving force behind India’s growth story,” Adhikari posted.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
Bengal BJP netas also expressed hope that a changed role would now enable Pradhan to focus on organisational work, which has always been his strength.Adhikari’s association with Pradhan goes back to the 2021 assembly polls. Given the charge of East Midnapore ahead of the election, Pradhan spent nearly a month campaigning in every block of the district. “No worker could imagine that a senior cabinet minister like him would work so silently in the districts. Such capabilities are rare,” said a Bengal BJP neta.This timing was crucial. Adhikari had joined BJP in Dec 2020 and was fighting at two fronts – battling Trinamool as opposition and vying for acceptability within his new party. Despite the obstacles, Adhikari survived the battles, and defeated then-CM Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram.Ahead of the 2021 election, the Odisha neta was primarily tasked with coordinating with some districts from Kolkata. “However, he preferred to spend more time among grassroots workers. Both Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav travelled extensively across the state,” recounted a senior neta.Fondly known as ‘Mukubhai’ among his colleagues, Pradhan has been involved in Bengal’s politics since 1993 and by 2014, knew Bengal BJP workers, right down to the mandal level, by name.Even when he was busy campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha election in his own constituency, Pradhan took time out to lobby in districts like East Midnapore. “He connected easily with Odia-speaking communities in these areas,” said a party worker.
