Making a shocking allegation, Union Petroleum natural gas and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan named five bureaucrats manning the CMO saying they were managing the Bijepur bypoll for the BJD and had sent 100 officers on leave to work for the ruling party.
Under the guidance and instructions of five CMO officials, 100 government employees have taken leave and have been sent to Bijepur, charged Pradhan at a press conference here. Pradhan also showed a few photographs of a criminal who is in jail and state Labour Minister Susanta Singh while demanding that the Election Commission should debar Singh from entering Bijepur which goes to bypoll on 24 February.
The Union Minister alleged that a few incidents of violence in the area have been committed by BJD supporters and there is apprehension that if people like Singh are allowed to move in the constituency there may be more trouble. Pradhan led a delegation of BJP leaders including Basant Panda, K V Singh Deo and others to the district collector of Bargarh and lodged his complaint.
The election observer, Superintendent of police and others were present for the event. Launching a counter attack, the ruling BJD leaders headed by MP Prasanna Acharya said it was the Union Minister Pradhan who is misusing his power to influence voters and intimidated people.
Acharya said a petrol filling station in the area belonging to a BJD supporter was shut down by oil company officers under the direction of Pradhan. Taking serious objection to Pradhan describing state minister Singh as a criminal, the BJD leader said before showing certain photographs on Singh’s association with someone in jail, Union Minister Pradhan should remember that a photograph of Pradhan with the notorious gangster Dhal Samanta brothers at Cuttack was well publicised last year.
Instead of making wild imaginary allegations, Pradhan should explain to the voters of Bijepur as to what happened to the promise of depositing lakhs to each account after getting back black money stashed in foreign banks, two crore jobs etc, chided Acharya.
Acharya said that BJP is well aware of the ground reality and is preparing to go to an escape route to give statements after declaration of the result on 28 February since it is sure of a miserable defeat. The ruling BJD also petitioned to the EC on Pradhans role in sealing of a petrol pump.
It also complained against a voice call message from two cell numbers that was derogatory about Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and appealed to vote for the BJP. Not to left behind the Congress too held a press conference today levelling allegations against both the BJD and the BJP.The Bijepur bypoll is far from being free and fair.
Both the BJP and BJD are misusing power, pumping in crores of rupees, charged former union minister and Congress leader Srikant Jena. The BJD and BJP are outbidding each other in purchasing votes, he alleged. Despite money and liquor flowing like water, voters of Bijepur who had voted for the Congress in the last three elections will continue to do so, he asserted.