Apprehending that the 66 urban local bodies (UlBs) going for polls on Thursday would be hampered by booth capturing and manipulation by the goons of ruling party for getting victory at any cost, BJP urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to be cautious and take steps for an orderly polls bereft of violence and violation of poll code at least on the poll day.
“With the Government in cahoots with the goons, this election will not be conducted in a fair manner. Till now, the high office of the SEC could not assure a level playing field for the parties. We expect that at last tomorrow (Thursday), the poll is conducted in an orderly manner with no violations,” said the BJP delegation after submitting a memorandum to the SEC on Wednesday.
Flaying the SEC for its “partisan” attitude in the conduct of the UlB elections, the BJP alleged that though the party had been drawing the attention of the poll panel repeatedly regarding the blatant violation of model code of conduct mentioning specific instances with details during the campaign by the ruling BJD, SEC has acted in a
partisan manner and not taken any action.
“Action wherever taken, was only on low level, while the actual culprits were given clean chits and let off,” the delegation rued in their complaint.
Bringing serious charges, the BJP pointed out that the BJD had blatantly misused its position for being the party in power and indulged in gross malpractice during the
campaigning.
The ruling party members openly misused the Government machinery and made public servants, bureaucrats and police to work for their party and candidates. Even the Collector’s office had become a virtual extension of the BJD campaign centre, as was done in Angul, the
BJP alleged.
“The level and extent to which the BJD stooped can be ascertained from the fact that many BJP candidates were intentionally harassed by the officials,” the delegation said, adding, “Their business was hampered and false cases were filed against them. This was done to browbeat them and ensure that they could not campaign peacefully.”
Giving instances anti-BJP actions during the electioneering, the delegation alleged that the manner in which the BJP candidates were harassed in Karanjia, with the clear intent of spoiling their wining prospects, was unethical. The action that was taken against Girdhari Prusti, just three days before the polls, smacks of political vendetta, they said.
The blatant ways in which the BJD used money power was evident. However, the observers turned a blind eye. The manner in which the campaigning was conducted by the Ministers and politicians was seen by one and all. Money was spent far in excess of the norm, they alleged, and regretted that the SEC had shown a blind eye to the illegal incidents during the campaign period.
Alleging that there was a reign of terror unleashed by the contractors and liquor lobbies and mafias of the BJD and Congress all over the State, the BJP brought to the notice of SEC the gross criminalization and lawlessness resulting in the brutal attack of BJP candidate Manoj Mishra at Jatani on September 17.