Tension ran high in by-election-bound Pipili on Friday as BJP workers alleged that BJD workers attacked them during election campaigning at Raigiripur village under the Pipili police limits and damaged their motorcycles.
However, the BJD workers refuted the allegation.Workers of both parties later staged protests in front of the Pipili police station. While BJP leaders, including party candidate Ashrit Pattanayak, resorted to a sit-in protest demanding arrest of the attackers, BJD leaders and workers claimed that the allegation was baseless.
“We will continue the dharna until strong action against the accused. The BJD orchestrated the attack using its workers. We strongly condemn such violent activities and assault on our workers,” said Ashrit Pattanayak. However, dharna was later withdrawn after police assured to take action against the attackers.