‘Dharmendra Pradhan zindabad’ slogan rented the air as his supporters lined either side of the road to welcome their leader. “Of the 79 MLAs, 26 legislators, including five ministers, were present at the airport to welcome Pradhan. Odisha BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and BJP State president Manmohan Samal, have praised Pradhan for taking an “exemplary step by resigning on moral grounds”. “After being devastated over the question paper leak, 21 students died allegedly by suicide... Pradhan was compelled to resign,” Mohanty added. The BJD student wing president, Ipsita Sahu, said, “Several key leaders of the State BJP were absent from today’s welcome programme, which reflects the internal factionalism.”