For Prafulla Chandra Ghadei much embarrassment was in store in the Council of Ministers (COM) meeting on 4 March.

Minister Finance & Excise seems to have come prepared for Bureaucracy bashing.

Insiders say that he was prompted by Higher Powers to take on babus in the COM.

In course of discussion on Adhoc Budget-2010-11, Minister Finance targeted the Planning & Coordination Department.

Obviously A U Singh Deo, Minister Planning & Coordination was at receiving end.

Mr.Ghadei alleged that Ministers are ignorant about the Budget Exercise and finalization of Annual Plan for 2010-11.

Babus in Planning & Coordination department never consulted the Ministers.

Minister Finance also alleged that there has been inadequate funding for the MLALAD Funds.

However Mr.Ghadei’s barb at Mr.Singh Deo and Bureaucracy rebounded back.

R V Singh, Special Secretary Planning & Coordination department pointed out that all the Secretaries were instructed to discuss the Plan formulation at length with the Ministers concerned before finalization.

And all the Secretaries have done the same and Ministers have approved the sectoral allotments, said Dr.Singh.

J K Mohapatra, Principal Secretary Finance was at his caustic best.

Mr.Mohapatra indicated that enough provision has been made in MLALAD Funds.

Principal Secretary pointed out that the Finance Minister (FM) himself has approved and put his signature to the Budget Proposals before it was placed in the COM for consideration.

All through the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seems to enjoy the FM’s embarrassment.

Both Babudom Watchers and Political Observers are asking how FM, who formulated and sponsored the Budget is criticizing his handiwork?

Sometime back BJD’s Mentor and Conscience Keeper, Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, MP mounted a scathing attack on the Bureaucracy.

Did Mr.Ghadei took a cue from this to take on the mandarins?

This view finds credence because while Mr.Mohapatra, him self a former bureaucrat went on ‘babu bashing’, Mr.Singh Deo openly backed the mandarins and boosted their morale.

Is this development indicative of a new polarization and power shift in top echelons of BJD?