Odisha Guv participating in Jharkhand poll campaign: Ajoy Kumar

Odisha Governor Raghubar Das (File Photo: IANS)


Ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar has written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that Odisha Governor Raghubar Das was campaigning for his daughter-in-law Purnima Das.

Kumar, the party’s nominee from Jamshedpur East, urged the poll panel to intervene into the matter and issue appropriate directions to restrain the former Jharkhand chief minister from campaigning. The fresh letter addressed to the ECI came days after he wrote a letter to it and alleged the Odisha Governor was participating in the election campaigning in Jharkhand.

In his letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Congress leader while referring to his 23rd October letter on Friday said, “This is to bring to your notice again that Odisha Governor Raghubar Das continues to campaign for his daughter-in-law, Purnima Das contesting from Jamshedpur East, on a BJP ticket.”

“It is also brought to your kind notice that as per the information received, the Odisha Governor was found participating in election booth committee meetings in east Jamshedpur constituency and was found distributing various materials in the public,” he said.

Kumar said the act of the “Odisha Governor establishes a major concern that has been highlighted by me via various press conferences, hence there is an urgent need to intervene.” The Congress leader also requested ECI to issue appropriate directions to restrain the Odisha Governor from “participation in active politics”.

Elections for 81 Assembly seats in Jharkhand will be held in two phases. The polling for the first phase (in 43 Assembly constituencies) would take place on 13th November and second phase (in 38 seats) on 20th November. The counting of votes would take place along with Maharashtra on 23rd November.