Votes of disputed Kotia go to AP
Koraput: Voters of 13 villages under the disputed Kotia panchayat exercised their franchise in Neridiwalsa of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. People of the remaining eight villages under the panchayat voted in booths in Odisha side. A villager of Ganjeipadar, Bishu Gamel claimed that there was dual voting by voters of 13 villages including him as they voted in Odisha in the morning and moved to Neridiwalsa in the noon to vote. The State Government had established five polling stations for 21 disputed villages of Kotia panchayat in areas like Ranasing, Kotia, Ganjeipadar, Phoguna Sineri and Madkar. Andhra Pradesh Government, on the other hand, had established two booths at Nerediwalsa. Sources said voters of Kotia, Ganjeipadar, Phatusineri, Phoguna Sineri, Madkar, Dhulipadar,Panki, Tadiwalsa, Upar Sembi, Tal Sembi, Nerediwalsa and Kutuduwalsa have voted in Neridiwalsa booths and Vizianagram under Salur Mandal of Andhra Pradesh.
Cong workers join BJD
Puri: Hundreds of Congress workers of Puri Assembly segment led by their leaders joined BJD at a function held in the presence of the ruling party’s candidate for the seat Maheswar Mohanty here on Thursday. Prominent among the Congress leaders who joined BJD are Pitabas Nayak, Purna Chandra Nayak, Pyarimohan Pradhan and J Samantray. They were aggrieved over allocation of Congress ticket to Auro Mishra ignoring senior leaders.
Booth capturing alleged
Koraput: The Congress supporters of Petru village allegedly captured the booth no 218 of Pottangi Assembly segment on Thursday. The BJP leader Pratap Kumar Choudhury alleged that although he informed District Election Officer K Sudarshan Chakraborty about the rigging, he did not take any step. He then informed the local police but they did not reach the booth fearing Maoists. Choudhury has sent a fax message in this regard to the Chief Election Officer.
Cong candidate faces protest in Jharsuguda
Jharsuguda: The Congress candidate for Jharsuguda Assembly constituency Mahendra Naik is facing opposition by a tribal association, Jaypur State Tribal Harijan Coordination Federation. The group is opposing Naik’s candidature while levelling serious allegations of money grabbing and forgery. A meeting was organised on Wednesday at Laikera field by the association where Naik was slammed for using the tribal community for personal gains. Leaders from different associations further alleged that the Congress candidate has declared himself as the state president of Gondwana Gond Federation without recognition of other branches of the group. Naik denied the allegations and said in the last 30 years of public service, he has never indulged in any corrupt practices.