NEW DELHI/ BHUBANESHWAR: Opposition BJP on Wednesday came down heavily on Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani even as the official claimed that action was taken in the alleged 'cash-for-vote' allegation that emerged during campaigning for the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll.
The Odisha unit of the BJP had earlier alleged that the ruling BJD was using SHGs members to distribute cash among the voters.
A BJP delegation led by Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan met top Election Commission of India (ECI) officials in New Delhi during the day and lodged a formal complaint against the BJD, accusing the ruling party in Odisha of violating the model code of conduct in the run-up to the by-poll.
Pradhan, along with the BJP's media co-in-charge Sanjay Mayukh, party spokesperson Sambit Patra and Om Pathak, met poll panel officials and submitted separate memoranda against the BJD government and TRS government, citing instances of violation of the model code of conduct.
"We have come to knock the doors of the ECI after failing to get justice from Odisha's CEO. Though our party had drawn the attention of the CEO several times, no action was taken. Therefore, we have come to ECI," Pradhan said in a statement alleging that the CEO was indirectly encouraging the officials engaged in election duties to distribute money on behalf of the ruling BJD.
"The Bhadrak administration under the leadership of the district collector is hand-in-glove with the ruling party. They are helping the BJD in breaching the MCC," Pradhan said alleging that the employees of the panchayati raj, rural development and women and child development departments were encouraged to work for the ruling BJD.
The Union minister also raised the issue of "conflict of interest" linked to CEO Lohani, who is also the principal secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department.
Pradhan said the CEO said that forensic probe has been launched in alleged cash-for-vote incidents.
"The CEO himself is the secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department. So, I doubt his intentions. There is a conflict of interest. So, we took the matter to the ECI," Pradhan said.
Similarly, the BJP said, "the ruling TRS has also been continuously violating electoral laws for bypolls in Munugode assembly segment in Telangana."
"It seems not the TRS but the state government is contesting election against the BJP in Munugode as the entire state machinery has been deployed and it is a gross violation of electoral laws," Pathak told reporters after the meeting.
He also alleged that TRS MLAs and MPs "have been rampantly distributing alcohol and money to the voters."
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Lohani said, "We have identified the accused person in the video found in cash distribution case. After identification, we have lodged an FIR within 24 hours."
Apart from the cash distribution allegations, there was another purported video about a BJD worker announcing in a party meeting that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will give Rs 1 crore to every panchayat in Dhamnagar that votes for the BJD.
PTI has not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
On the viral video, Lohani said, "We have also identified the person who was promising Rs 1 crore for votes. Complaints have been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and Representation of People Act 1951."
"All remedial actions are being taken by the CEO office as quickly as possible to ensure free and fair elections," Lohani said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and Jatani MLA Suresh Routray alleged that state ministers were moving around the Dhamnagar constituency with bags full of cash.
He alleged that block and district-level government officials were also influencing voters in support of the BJD.
The BJD also submitted a petition to the CEO office alleging that the BJP has insulted the members of the women self-help groups by dragging them into the alleged cash-for-vote issue.
"The BJP is levelling allegations against women SHGs after realising that its candidate will lose the polls," BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.
Bypolls to Dhamnagar assembly seat in Odisha and Munugode assembly seat in Telangana are scheduled to be held on November 3.