Bhubaneswar: BJP on Monday moved the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha seeking action against Minister Rajendra Dholakia and senior BJD leader Pranab Prakash Das accusing them of misusing government machinery to influence voters for Padampur Assembly bypoll.
A BJP delegation led by party state general secretary Dr Lekhasri Samantsinghar met the CEO and alleged that Dholakia and Das held a meeting at Padampur and directed local functionaries to ask the people to vote in favour of the ruling BJD.
“The ruling BJD leaders even asked them to distribute money among the voters to win their support. This is shameful. BJD is indulging in undemocratic and unfair methods,” Samantsinghar alleged.
Alleging blatant violation of model code of conduct by BJD in Padampur in Bargarh district where by-election is scheduled to be held on December 5, BJP demanded action against the ruling party leaders.
Earlier, BJP had alleged that Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari had held a meeting with staff of Padampur public school and government-aided Jaydev Institute of Technology, and discussed ‘distribution of money’ in the Assembly constituency.
The saffron party also demanded arrest of two officials of a college and a higher secondary school for attending the meeting held by Pujari in violation of poll code.
