BJP lodges complaint at CEO, alleges BJD distributing money in Padampur
BJP lodges complaint at CEO, alleges BJD distributing money in Padampur
admin
Bhubaneswar: On the eve of the Padampur bypoll, the BJP filed a petition with Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) alleging the ruling BJD of engaging in illegal operations to influence voters in the Assembly constituency ahead of voting.
After campaigning ceased on Saturday, a BJP delegation visited the CEO's office and filed a complaint saying that governing party leaders were offering money to supporters in several locations throughout Padampur, Bargarh district.
According to the BJP delegation, BJD candidate Barsha Singh Bariha's brother was caught red-handed while distributing money in a village but managed to flee before police arrived.
However, one of his associates has been apprehended, saffron party leaders announced as they exited the CEO's office.
The BJP representatives also claimed that people in various places, including Paikamal in the byelection-bound constituency, had returned money given to a local BJD leader by governing party activists.
All of this demonstrates that the ruling BJD is distributing money in Padampur in a desperate attempt to gain support for the bypoll on Monday, according to BJP state general secretary Lekhasri Samantsinghar.
She further said that a BJD worker threatened villagers who challenged him while delivering money, while ruling party activists abused BJP workers who opposed them.
Odisha appears to be in the midst of a petition war ahead of the byelection for the Padampur Assembly seat. On Sunday, three delegations of the ruling BJD visited the CEO's office in Bhubaneswar and filed three separate petitions against the BJP, alleging the saffron party of engaging in unlawful actions such as money distribution to sway votes in Padampur.
