Bhubaneswar: With barely 24 hours left for the Urban Local Bodies elections in Odisha, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi on Wednesday retweeted a video, which showed workers of ruling BJD purportedly distributing money in Odisha’s Keonjhar.
How pathetic this is! I wonder if the cost price of votes vary from place to place.
How insecure BJD is! Can’t it win without distributing money? They ought to have self- confidence enough.@JPNadda @BJP4India @BJP4Odisha @narendramodi @CMO_Odisha @Naveen_Odisha https://t.co/sawkTPUvNo— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) March 23, 2022
In the video, a man can be heard asking a group of people to press on the ‘Conch’ symbol while counting money before handing it over to them.
Earlier this month, Aparajita had alleged that some political leaders were luring voters by offering to purchase their votes for the upcoming polls in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). The MP further said she would substantiate her claim with proof at the appropriate time. She had then, however, refused to divulge the name/s or their party affiliation/s.
“I have three recorded videos that will surprise you. Bargaining is on to purchase votes for anything between Rs 500 and Rs 1000 in my Parliamentary constituency,” she had told the media on March 8.
Aparajita had also urged voters residing in the 450 slums in and around Bhubaneswar not to give in to such inducement. “Please do not sell your votes to unscrupulous political leaders or anybody for that matter. Please exercise your franchises honestly,” she said.
Notably, the high-pitched campaign for the March 24 elections to 109 civic bodies in Odisha, including the municipal corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur, ended at 5 pm on Tuesday. The Bhubaneswar MP had been leading the campaign for party nominee for Bhubaneswar Mayor post, Suniti Mund, and she visited several areas on the last day seeking votes for her. She also promised to solve civic issues, which could not be solved in Bhubaneswar city for the last 20 years, within two to three years.
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Over 40.55 lakh voters will exercise their franchise from 8 am to 5 pm and seal the fate of 6,411 candidates – 569 candidates for the post of chairperson and mayor and 5,842 candidates for corporators of municipal corporations and councillors of municipalities and notified area councils.
