BJP Writes to Poll Panel For Action Against BJD For Flouting Covid Norms In Pipili

Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday submitted a petition to State Electoral Officer here alleging that the ruling Biju Janata Dal flouted the Covid guidelines at a time when the second wave of the pandemic is yet to be over in the state.

In a representation to the CEO, party general secretary Lekhashri Samantaray stated that the BJD took out a large motorbike rally on Thursday at Pipili in violation of the Covid norms and none of the election officials has taken notice of the flagrant violation of the poll code due to the pandemic. She regretted that many ministers, ruling part legislators and local workers participated in the rally in violation of IPC 171 (c) and IPC 188 and the party has no right to play with the lives of the electorate especially at the time of pandemic.

Photographs of the BJD rally and video footage have been transmitted to the Chief Electoral Officer seeking appropriate disciplinary action against the ruling party, Samantaray added.

The BJP’s state spokespersons Satyabrata Panda and Urmila Mohapatra, Legal Cell state coordinator Jayant Jena and assistant coordinator Sujeet Kumar Das were among those who  met the Chief Electoral Officer.

A couple of days back, the saffron party’s cadres were allegedly thrashed and their party banners and posters tampered with in Pipili during campaigning. The party has also filed a complaint with the police in this connection.