Odisha Elections 2024: BJD Distributing Money To Influence Voters In Sambalpur, BJP Complains

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, which is witnessing a keen contest between BJD and BJP in 2024 elections, has turned a virtual battleground of allegations between the two parties.

On Thursday morning, BJD complained to the chief electoral officer (CEO) accusing BJP of distributing money among the voters to get their votes. The saffron party followed suit soon after with similar allegation against the ruling party.

A delegation of BJP, led by its state spokesperson Urmila Mohapatra, submitted the complaint to the CEO alleging that BJD leaders Siddharth Shah and Samarjit Pattnaik on the direction of the party’s Lok Sabha candidate for Sambalpur Pranab Prakash Das were distributing alluring gifts among the voters in the constituency.

They said the BJD leaders were giving cricket kits to youth clubs, music sets to the temple and other gifts in Chandarpur slum of Biharipada in the city to influence them to vote in favour of the party. “Though the district leaders of BJP had complained to Sambalpur district collector in this regard, no step has been taken so far. Since the BJD’s actions violated the model code of conduct, we have approached the CEO,” said Mohapatra.

Claiming that the BJP has submitted the videos and pictures to the CEO to substantiate their allegation, she alleged that the BJD leaders have been found distributing cash to the voters within 200 metre of the polling booths and threatening them against voting other parties in different constituencies.

Since two more phases of elections are scheduled in the state, the BJP delegation appealed to the CEO to ensure disciplined and fair polling by taking stringent actions against violation of model code of conduct.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is contesting the Sambalpur Lok Sabha elections on BJP ticket. He is pitted against BJD’s organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das and former Congress MP Nagendra Kumar Pradhan.

Also Read: BJP MP Candidate For Sambalpur Buying Votes, BJD Complains To Odisha CEO