JAGATSINGHPUR: THE BJD and the Congress workers clashed in Jagatsinghpur district on Monday over poaching of candidates, leaving one BJD worker seriously injured.
Sources said a BJD worker, Chittaranjan Das of Naradia village under Balikuda block, had convinced some Congress workers to join the ruling party ahead of the rural polls. This did not go down well with the Congress members, who clashed with the ruling party workers of the village on Monday. Some Opposition workers pelted stones at Das, who sustained head injuries and was admitted to Balikuda Hospital.
Following this, the BJD workers staged demonstration in front of the Balikuda police station demanding arrest of the Congress workers, who attacked Das. An FIR has been registered. The agitators were pacified after police assured that the accused will be nabbed soon.
On the other hand, Congress members Jhunilata Behera, Ranjit Nayak, Amulya Biswal, Baidhar Behera, Bipin Guru, Bhamarbar Behera and others workers of the party joined the BJD in the presence of local MLA Prasant Muduli.
On Sunday, three BJD workers were seriously injured in Ibrisingh panchayat under Tirtol police limits following a clash between the two groups of the ruling party. Police registered case against 15 persons of both the groups but no one has been arrested yet.
Meanwhile, filing of nominations has been completed peacefully. By Tuesday, 6,583 nominations were filed for the posts of Ward Member, 919 for Sarpanch posts, 759 Panchayat Samiti member posts and 106 ZP member posts. In total, 8,367 nominations have been filed.
No election will be held for the posts of Ward Member and Sarpanch in Dhinkia panchayat as the tenure of the existing Ward Member and Sarpanch is yet to be completed. Panchayat election in Dhinika was conducted in 2014 due to Posco violence.