Panchayat poll trend reflects people's anger: Dharmendra Pradhan

Pradhan urged the State Election Commission to ensure free and fair poll in the next four phases of the panchayat polls.
India's Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan speaks on phone during an interview with Reuters in New Delhi, India, May 5, 2016. | Reuters
India's Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan speaks on phone during an interview with Reuters in New Delhi, India, May 5, 2016. | Reuters

BHUBANESWAR: Buoyed by the spectacular performance of the party in the first round of the panchayat elections, the state BJP today said the poll trend reflects the anger of the people towards the ruling BJD.

"Long oppressed under the BJD misrule, the people have made up their mind for a change in the panchayat governance. The government has betrayed the trust of the people despite their massive support to the ruling party," Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmedra Pradhan told reporters here.

Public resentment against corruption and mismanagement of funds meant for development at the panchayat level have been reflected in this election. Early trend shows that the state is heading for a big change, he added.

Asserting that the demonetisation of big currency notes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played a big role in the elections to the three-tier panchayati raj system, the Union Minister said the results of the first round poll indicates that the people are solidly behind this move of Modi.

Referring to the deposit of Rs 750 crore in the Jan Dhan accounts post-demonetisation, Pradhan said the silence of ruling party on the issue speaks volume. Earlier, he had sought to know whether these illegal deposits were from the chit fund scams. 

Accusing the state government of misusing the administrative machinery to save the BJD from a humiliating defeat, Pradhan said the district collectors and superintendents of police of the State are acting as presidents and general secretaries of ruling party of respective districts. 

"I have every reason to doubt that poll results have been manipulated in some places illegally," he said.

The ruling party has resorted to violence after the first round results started coming in. Violence has been reported in Nabarangpur, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack and Kendrapara. This shows the desperation of the BJD, he remarked.

Pradhan appealed the State Election Commission to ensure that the next rounds of panchayat polls are conducted in a fair manner. He urged the SEC to instruct the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) for taking necessary measures to maintain the law and order till the election is over.

A delegation of the BJP led by Sameer Mohanty met the SEC and submitted a memorandum requesting for a free and fair election and action against those government officials misusing their position to help the ruling party. 

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