The State’s ruling BJD and opposition BJP continued to trade charges against each other for violation of the model code of conduct which is in force for the ensuing panchayat polls.
Both the parties on Tuesday lodged complaints with the State Election Commission (SEC).
BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty, who submitted the memorandum to the SEC, accused the BJD of using the State Government machinery and releasing new hoardings of the Niramaya and Aahar schemes, among others.
“The Government is issuing new hoardings under the Niramaya and Aahar schemes that feature the Chief Minister’s pictures. Government officers are meeting the Chief Minister for reasons beyond official business,” said Mohanty, adding that opposition parties were yet to receive the voter lists in many places.
The BJD, on the other hand, argued that no new hoardings have been issued.
“Aahar is a two-year-old scheme that has benefited thousands. All the hoardings were issued back then. Neither have we issued any new hoarding nor have we promoted them in any newspaper or television advertisements. We have always respected the model code of conduct,” said BJD spokesperson Rabi
Narayan Nanda, who submitted the memorandum to the SEC.
The party also took objections to use of picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the advertisements issued for the Atal Jyoti Yojana.