BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD has demanded that steps should be taken to seal the Odisha border with Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand at the earliest to ensure a free and fair poll in the State.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar, a BJD delegation comprising spokespersons Sasmit Patra, Lenin Mohanty and Sulata Deo said Odisha’s border with Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand is used for channelling black money and entry of criminals with an intention to influence voters in Odisha.
Referring to the attack on the brother of BJD leader and Minister Sushant Singh during the Bijepur by-election last year in which a worker of the regional outfit was killed, the BJD delegation alleged that huge cash was seized from vehicles coming from Chhattisgarh during the by-poll.
“As the BJP has set the trend during Bijepur by-poll, it is important that neither BJP nor Congress, as it has government in Chhatisgarh now, should be allowed to bring in black money and criminal elements to disrupt sanctity of polls in the State,” the memorandum added.
In another memorandum, the BJD delegation referred to the cash worth Rs 2 lakh seized from a car at Guderpali in Bargarh district, which is owned by a petrol pump owner, on March 26 and demanded that such activities by BJP supporters should be stopped.