Anandapur: Sitting BJD MLA from the Ghasipura Assembly constituency, Badri Narayan Patra, who is also the School and Mass Education Minister, staged a sit-in protest Tuesday at Suanpada Booth No 276, alleging misbehaviour by a presiding officer. He alleged that the person did not allow BJD agents inside the booth while officials of other parties were allowed. The third phase of polling was conducted Tuesday in Odisha and it was then that the incident happened.
Some locals protested in front of the booth demanding action against the presiding officer. On coming to know about the dharna, Patra came and joined them.
“There was resentment among the locals in the area. The polling agents at Mouri, Sainpal, Patsura and Odapada were sent out by the presiding officer Sagarika Mohanty for no reason at all. Polling was conducted without the presence of BJD agents. There is utter lawlessness here,” Patra told mediapersons.
Sensing trouble, Rajendra Swain, the IIC of Ramchandrapur PS, rushed to the spot to pacify the agitators. “The agents of different political parties had an argument and came out of the booths on their own . We have asked the presiding officer to look into the,” informed Swain.