Other States - Orissa   

Congress seeks derecognition of Biju Janata Dal

BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition Congress on Tuesday urged the Chief Election Commissioner to take appropriate measures to derecognise the ruling Biju Janata Dal for allegedly violating the poll code and resorting to unfair electoral practices in the recent byelection in Laxmipur Assembly segment of the State.

A delegation of the party led by Pradesh Congress president Jayadev Jena submitted a memorandum to the State Chief Electoral Officer here seeking action against the BJD.

In the memorandum addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Jena alleged that the total expenditure made by the BJD candidate was estimated by the local voters at more than Rs. 5 crores.

“This is a very serious allegation from the voters of the constituency, which deserves thorough investigation. It is further necessary that the source of massive funding also be tracked to cleanse the criminal funding of the election,” Mr. Jena said in the memorandum.

He further alleged that several Ministers belonging to the party distributed a huge amount of money among the voters to vote in favour of the BJD candidate.

Earlier, the party leaders and workers staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Janata Maidan to register their protest against the “unethical and unlawful electoral practices brazenly committed” by Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, 11 BJD Ministers and 48 BJD MLAs in the byelection.

Meanwhile, leaders and workers of the Samruddha Odisha also staged a dharna outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer demanding a repoll in Laxmipur.

The party submitted a memorandum alleging that the BJD had violated the election code during electioneering for the bye-poll.

Polling in Laxmipur was held on April 12.

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