Dhamnagar bypoll: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday embarked on his two-day-long padayatra at Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Odisha ahead of by-election. He campaigned for the party’s candidate Suryavanshi Suraj at various places in the constituency.
Union Minister of State for Tribal Welfare and Water Resources Bishweswar Tudu also took out to march in various panchayats of Tihidi block and appealed people to vote for BJP candidate.
The by-poll to Dhamnagar assembly seat in Odisha scheduled to be held on November 3.
Opposition BJP slams Odisha’s CEO ‘cash-for-vote’ issue
Opposition BJP came down heavily on Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani even as the official claimed that action was taken in the alleged ‘cash-for-vote’ allegation that emerged during campaigning for the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll.
The Odisha unit of the BJP had earlier alleged that the ruling BJD was using SHGs members to distribute cash among the voters.
A BJP delegation led by Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan met top Election Commission of India (ECI) officials in New Delhi during the day and lodged a formal complaint against the BJD, accusing the ruling party in Odisha of violating the model code of conduct in the run-up to the by-poll.
Pradhan, along with the BJP’s media co-in-charge Sanjay Mayukh, party spokesperson Sambit Patra and Om Pathak, met poll panel officials and submitted separate memoranda against the BJD government and TRS government, citing instances of violation of the model code of conduct.
Counter Allegation by Congress
Meanwhile, Congress leader and Jatani MLA Suresh Routray alleged that state ministers were moving around the Dhamnagar constituency with bags full of cash. He alleged that block and district-level government officials were also influencing voters in support of the BJD. The BJD also submitted a petition to the CEO office alleging that the BJP has insulted the members of the women self-help groups by dragging them into the alleged cash-for-vote issue.
CEO cautions offenders against MCC violation
As a large number of complaints on violation of the model code of conduct poured in ahead of the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer S K Lohani cautioned the offenders of severe legal actions.
Lohani’s warning came a day after the opposition BJP moved the Election Commission alleging that the Odisha CEO was not taking proper action against the offenders of the MCC.
“Any violation of the law and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will attract severe action,” he said at a press conference here. Stating that a number of complaints have been received against poll candidates and political parties for violating the MCC, he said that action could be taken against the guilty under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to deal with offences like bribery and using undue influence to interfere in the free exercise of the electoral right of a person.
(With agencies input)