Odisha Maovadi Party (OMP) chief Sabyasachi Panda has alleged that the State Government had engaged district Collectors and senior police officials in the BJD’s poll campaign during the twin elections held on April 10 and 17.
In a release to the media, Panda has alleged that massive vote rigging took place in the two-phase polls and the deployment of armed police forces around the booths helped the Government machinery in committing the same.
He also alleged that the police had arrested several pro-people leaders by branding them as Maoists who were demanding poll boycott in Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Gajapati
districts.
Besides, he accused police of trying to eliminate Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) leader Nachika linga and other tribal leaders at the behest of the ruling BJD.
Citing an example of the ruling party’s poll intimidation, Panda said the people of a village under Balanga block in Puri district were deprived of water and other essential services as they were suspected to have voted for an
opposition party.
“Though the district administration had the information about the incident, it remained silent,” Panda alleged.
He further alleged that major political parties violated the poll limits by spending crores of rupees on road shows, chopper rides and public meetings. Besides, these parties had also spent huge sums on advertisement and publicity in local and national newspapers as well as TV channels during the poll campaign, he added.
Even the 108 Ambulance vans were used by the ruling party to transport loads of cash for distribution among the people to buy their votes, he mentioned in the release.