Poll Violence: Ruling BJD, BJP, Congress Accuse Each Other
Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: The ruling BJD and Opposition BJP, Congress have been accusing each for the violence during the first phase of election to Panchayati Raj Institutions in Odisha on Wednesday.
BJP State President Sameer Mohanty at a press conference here on Thursday said violence and anarchy had reached its peak during the 22 years of BJD rule and the Wednesday violence is the latest example of it. Mohanty alleged the members of the ruling party are directly involved in the poll violence in Dharamshala, Jajpur, Brahmagiri, Angul, Hindol, Bhadrak, Kanas, Nayagarh, Jaleswar, Bangiriposi, Bhatti, Patnagarha, Pipili,Bolangir, Kandhamal and Jharsuguda.
The BJP President said due to the goonda raj of the ruling BJD, the citizens are afraid to go to booth to cast their ballots. He said not only the common people, the ruling party members even did not spare the media people and attacked them during the first phase of polling.
Mohanty questioned, “When the media people are not safe how could the common people in the state be safe”. The BJP leader held Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik responsible for the violence and said Patnaik has failed to ensure a free and fair election and check his party members from unleashing terror and violence during the polling. The BJP leader alleged that the videos showing the ruling party members distributing money in broad daylight to woo voters are going viral. In one video the brother of the local MLA was seen distributing money in police vehicles at Patnagarh while in another video the daughter of a minister was distributing money along with SHGs at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda.
The videos showing the ruling party members capturing booths are also getting viral, he said and demanded the BJD supremo to clarify on the issue. Mohanty demanded the administration and the DGP to discharge their duties as per law and provide security to the people and not to act at the behest of the ruling party members. He also urged the SEC to ensure that the next phase of election is conducted peacefully.
BJD National Spokesperson Dr. Sasmit Patra at a press conference at Rourkela however, refuted the allegations made by the BJP. Dr. Patra said Odisha is a peaceful state and BJD always believes in non violence and peace.
He said BJP is resorting to violence in Odisha on the lines of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar fearing defeat in the panchayat election. Dr. Patra said after the first phase of election BJP knew that BJD was heading for a landslide victory. So fearing defeat, the BJP is adopting its old tactics and resorting to violence to save face. The BJD leader said in Parlakhemundi the BJP activists made an murderuous attack on BJD supported Sarpanch candidate and attacked the BJD Zilla Parishad candidate at Pipili.
Senior Congress leader and Jatni MLA Suresh Kumar Routray however, blamed both BJD and BJP for the violence in the election. Routray said both the parties were using money and muscle power to influence the voters. He said there was a keen competition among these two parties as to who would pay more to buy the votes. The level to which these two parties have stooped down to win election is shameful, he remarked
