BHUBANESWAR: AMID preparations for election to the post of chairman in panchayat samitis, the BJP on Wednesday charged the ruling BJD with resorting to intimidation of samiti members and sarpanchs owing allegiance to the saffron party.
Accusing police of terrorising the BJP-supported sarpanchs and panchayat samiti members, State BJP general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar told media persons that eight elected representatives of Astarang block in Puri district are under threat of arrest for allegedly kidnapping BJD samiti members.
As the BJP is set to elect one of its candidates as block chairman in Astaranga, the BJD is making all possible efforts to stop it. The local police led by IIC of Astaranga police station have allegedly raided the houses of the BJP-supported samiti members by breaking open locks.
“When we contacted the Superintendent of Police of Puri district, he replied that the police was making a search to rescue kidnapped elected members of the BJD. The local police was working on the complaints that some of the BJD elected members have been kidnapped and kept in the houses of some BJP-supported members,” Samantsinghar said.
She said similar reports have started arriving from other districts where the BJD with the help of the local administration are making efforts to win post of chairman. The BJP leader further alleged that the police is threatening members elected with her party to extend support to BJD candidate for the post of block chairman failing which they would be booked under National Security Act (NAC). In such case they would not get bail for six months.
“The power hungry BJD turned violent before the election to the three-tier panchayat elections by attacking BJP candidates at their will. All the complaints against BJD’s undemocratic practices to the State Election Commission went unheeded. We have lost faith on the administration which is openly supporting the ruling party,” she remarked.
Condemning in uncertain terms to such hooliganism of the ruling party, Samantsinghar said her party had sought immediate intervention of the SEC and requested the Commission to take action against the Astaranga police.