Both BJD and BJP moved
the Chief Electoral Officer levelling charges against
each other
Bhubaneswar: Even as the campaigning for third phase polls reached feverish pitch Friday, the BJD and the BJP continued to file complaints against each other before the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha.
The BJD Friday submitted four complaints to the CEO against BJP and a local TV channel while the saffron party alleged political motive behind the arrest of its Soroda MLA candidate Nilamani Bisoyi.
In its memorandum, the BJD alleged, “Along with BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, you are also aware of BJP’s Soroda MLA candidate Nilamani Bisoyi who targeted a polling booth in Soroda yesterday and destroyed an EVM. Apart from them, several other instances of criminal activities and attacks have been unleashed by BJP leaders and cadres across the state.”
The BJP led by Pradhan is instrumental in infusing electoral violence culture in Odisha from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh since he has been learning political violence from those places, the party alleged.
The ruling party also alleged that a local TV channel is working as a communication arm of the BJP and telecasting paid news.
It demanded the CEO to depute an independent team to monitor and assess the content being broadcast by the channel.
The BJD further alleged that the BJP is violating mode code of conduct by holding press meets and issuing media bytes during the silence hours of first and second phases of polling.
A delegation of the state BJP led by the party’s vice-president Samir Mohanty met the CEO and submitted three memorandums. The party said there was political motive behind the arrest of Bisoyi, who allegedly smashed an EVM at a booth in his constituency.
The BJP also alleged booth rigging in second phase polls. The BJD has captured 26 booths during the last phase elections and 33 booths including those in Chief Minister’s constituency have been rigged. They demanded re-polling in all these 301 booths.
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The saffron party also demanded availability of drinking water, glucose and put up of tents to provide shed to the voters.