While the BJP and the BJD kept indulging in trading charges and counter-charges over the firing at BJP Yuva Morcha Bijepur president Manoranjan Meher’s house, the Bijepur police nabbed two persons with a Bolero van from a roadside hotel at loharchati on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border and interrogated them in connection with the incident.
Notably, some miscreants had fired three rounds at Meher’s house at Pada village under the Bijepur police station on Monday.
As per its announcement, the BJP organised demonstrations at all district headquarters offices across the State. Saffron party activists burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and labour Minister Susant Singh while accusing Singh as conspirator at demonstration sites, according to reports.
BJP national general secretary and Odisha-in-charge Arun Singh said that there has been a conspiracy against the BJP ahead of Bijupur by-poll. “Attack on a BJP worker’s house in Bijepur is a conspiracy done with the support of a local Minister,” Singh said and pointed out that 14 workers of his party have been murdered in recent past in Odisha.
It may be noted that the BJP has said that the incident was the handiwork of labour Minister Susanta Singh.
However, the Minister refuted the charge saying that it was an excuse by the BJP to delay holding of the Bijepur Assembly by-poll.
BJP State president Basant Panda and BJP legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo met Home Secretary
Asit Tripahty and apprised about the incident.
After meeting the Secretary, Pand told reporters that the BJD is trying to terrorise political rivals at gunpoint before the Bijepur bypoll and he requested the Home Secretary to ensure safety to leaders of his party.
BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb stated that the BJP is making political drama before the by-poll. “law is equal for all and it will take its own course. As there is a by-poll in the future, the BJP is intentionally blaming the BJD for its benefits,” said Deb had said.