The threat perceptions for the candidates of Opposition political parties for election to urban bodies in Ganjam district continue unabated. A retired OAS officer and Congress leader Uday Pradhan and some other Congress leaders were injured in an attack on their way to file nominations for the Chikiti NAC poll.
Pradhan was injured near the gate of the Chikiti NAC office.The police personnel who were present there remained were mutely witnessing the crime alleged to have been committed by ruling BJD workers.
Being terribly scared by the attack, candidates belonging to opposition parties and their supporters, particularly of the Congress, ran in panic hither and thither to save their skin.
In spite of earlier reports of poll-related vandalism, both the district administration and the police did not bother to take preventive measures to ensure safety of the candidates of opposition parties.
Instead, the Chikiti NAC Election office premises was made free-for-all with chaos reigning all over.
Similarly, a candidate of the BJP also failed to file his nominations in Chikiti out of fear, sources said. This shocking incident has caused panic among the workers of all opposition parties in the distinct.
According to intellectuals, the district administration is fully supporting the ruling party while pretending to be fair.
Notably, in Ganjam district, while some politicians of the ruling party with criminal backgrounds have been provided with security, security of some opposition leaders have deliberately been left at the mercy of antisocials, commented a senior politician of an opposition party.