A screen grab of Mohan Majhi at Capital Hospital

BHUBANESWAR: At a time when the BJP was planning to announce the new chief minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi was in a hospital morgue, consoling family members of his favourite employee who lost his life in a tragic accident.
The CM-designate experienced a bittersweet start to what should have been a momentous day in his life, when he heard his employee had died in a road accident in Bhubaneswar, plunging him into grief.
Turns out, Chandan Mahapatra (31), who lived in Aiginia area of Bhubaneswar, was on his way on a two-wheeler to Majhi’s residence, when a car hit him from behind near Delta square under Nayapalli police limits around 12 noon. A profusely bleeding Mahapatra was rushed to Capital Hospital where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. As the tragic news reached Majhi, he immediately showed up at the hospital, while his supporters and other party leaders were busy preparing for a key legislative party meeting that would seal the fate of CM aspirants.
Mahapatra’s elder brother Raj Mahapatra told TOI, “Majhi sir was preparing to proceed to the BJP office to attend the legislature party meeting when he heard the tragic news. He rushed to the hospital and stayed there for about an hour.”
Chandan had been working in Majhi’s residence-cum-office for the last five years.
On his way back, Majhi reportedly asked the Nayapalli police to act against the erring car driver. Police sources said the car has been seized and the driver picked up.