BHUBANESWAR: After setting the party’s tone for the bypoll to the Nuapada Assembly constituency by targeting the BJP with his ‘candidate theft’ jibe, former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced he will return to campaign at Khariar Road on November 7 for party candidate Snehangini Chhuria.
Thanking the people of the constituency for their positive response to his public meeting at Komna on November 3, the BJD president announced in a video message that he will visit Nuapada and address a public meeting at Khariar Road to reconnect with people and seek their blessings.
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJD on Wednesday lodged a complaint with chief electoral officer (CEO) RS Gopalan against the ruling BJP alleging that the use of children in its election campaign and distribution of sarees to influence women voters were a clear violation of the model code of conduct.
In a memorandum to the CEO, the BJD alleged that at Khuntaban Bhera gram panchayat under Nuapada block, children were seen raising slogans in favour of BJP candidate Jay Dholakia holding BJP flags. Alleging that this was a case of violation of model code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the memorandum said using children in elections flouts the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2016 too.
Alleging that BJP women leaders and workers were also seen distributing sarees and money to influence women voters, the BJD demanded immediate action from the CEO to ensure a free and fair election in Nuapada.
In a separate memorandum to the CEO, a delegation of the Congress also alleged that BJP is distributing sarees and different gifts in different panchayats of the Assembly constituency to influence women voters. The party demanded that persons distributing sarees and other gifts be restrained from participating further in campaign during the by-election in the interest of a free and fair poll.