Ahead of Monday’s rally of Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM) at Bhawanipatna, the political atmosphere has hotted up with posters and banners coming up in several places in Balangir and Kalahandi districts calling upon the people to attend the meeting being held to observe the 95th birth anniversary of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The chief spokesperson of the OJM Jagneswar Babu told this paper that their detractors have affixed photographs of Indira Gandhi and Morcha chairman Pyarimohan Mohapatra to create confusion among the workers.
Taking strong exception to such posters and banners a day before the rally, the OJM has filed FIRs in Balangir and Kalahandi, Jagneswar said.
The Morcha has demanded that police should investigate the matter and take strong action against the mischiefmakers.
The OJM leader, Mihir Mohanty, said such posters have been found in Titlagarh, Balangir, Kesinga, Madanpur Rampur and several other places in the two districts.
Stating that the Morcha does not have any link whatsoever with the Congress, Jagneswar said it is still a part of the BJD.
The Morcha has been formed to make BJD vibrant and bring democracy in the functioning of the regional outfit, he said.
The posters and banners are attempts by the Morcha’s detractors to foil the rally which will be a success, Jagneswar said, adding that despite all odds, people from all parts of KBK districts (undivided Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput) will attend it.
The State committee of the OJM met at Bhawanipatna on Sunday to take stock of the situation.
Allegations and counter-allegations between the BJD and the Morcha leaders have reached all-time high before the rally.
The State executive of the BJD, which met on November 16 here, had expelled Pyarimohan and Jagneswar from the party for allegedly indulging in antiparty activities.
After the Morcha was launched by Pyarimohan, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had described it as the ‘B’ team of the Congress.
Dismissing the allegation, Pyarimohan had alleged that Naveen had entered into a tacit understanding with the Congress to slow down the CBI probe into coal scam.