BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Thursday petitioned the chief electoral officer (CEO) against the exposure visit of Mission Shakti delegates to Dubai. The party alleged the tour was organised by the Tourism department even after announcement of election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
A delegation of BJP led by state vice-president Lekhashree Samantasinghar met the CEO and submitted a memorandum alleging violation of model code of conduct (MCC) by BJD. “The conducted tour of members of block-level federations of women self-help groups to Dubai on March 23 is an inducement to influence the group members and their families ahead of elections. This is a clear violation of MCC. Appropriate action should be taken against the government and its officers concerned,” the party leaders alleged.
This apart, the saffron party complained BJD workers have started targeting BJP workers. The delegation told the CEO that an attempt was made on the life of Kishan Singh, a BJP worker and resident of Sriram Nagar, Barbil in Keonjhar district recently by four BJD supporters.
After a complaint was registered in the local police station, two of the accused were detained but let off following pressure from BJD leaders, Samantasinghar said. “If the police act as per the instructions of the ruling party, a free and fair election is not possible. We requested the CEO to act swiftly against the erring police officer,” she said.
The senior leader said as many as 18 political murders were reported during the 2019 general elections and in all the cases the victims were from BJP and Congress.
The BJP delegation also brought to the notice of the CEO the issue of continuation of government officers at their places of posting where they have worked for more than three years. Naming the government officers posted in Cuttack, Bhadrak and Ganjam districts who have not been transferred despite repeated instructions of the ECI, the BJP urged the CEO to direct the government to do the needful.