BHUBANESWAR: With election heat rising in Jharkhand and the BJP pressing its leaders from Odisha including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi into the campaign trail, the BJD on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the saffron party, saying it has not even spared the sanctity of Raj Bhavan and turned it into a poll war room.
Addressing a media-conference here, BJD spokespersons and Rajya Sabha MPs Sasmit Patra and Sulata Deo alleged that the Raj Bhavan had virtually been turned into a centre of political activities. They alluded that Governor Raghubar Das, a former chief minister of Jharkhand, was keen to be back in active politics and thus, Raj Bhavan is being used for political manoeuvring. It is being discussed that the Odisha Governor is in the race for the next chief minister of Jharkhand, they said.
The BJD leaders said the recent visits of Assam Chief Minister and BJP’s co-election in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu to Raj Bhavan has raised questions. Though the leaders described their visits as personal, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi subsequently visited Jharkhand and addressed meetings at a number of places.
“The whole turn of events in the recent days has raised suspicion. The Governor should issue a clarification in this regard. The Governor should remain above party politics and the Raj Bhavan should not be allowed to turn into a centre of political activities,” they said.
The BJD also targeted the BJP government over the alleged assault on the assistant section officer (ASO) by the Governor’s son during Rath Yatra in Puri and said though the incident took place months ago no action has been taken so far. “The state government issued a statement that the incident is being probed by the police and a report will be submitted in 15 days. But months have elapsed, there is no report,” they added.
Seeking to know whether any action will be taken against the Governor’s son, they said the chief minister has been silent on the issue. “It seems he is trying to protect the accused,” they alleged.