Bhubaneswar, June 15 (Odisha.in) Opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party Tuesday accused the chief minister Naveen Patnaik of misusing his office for the Rajya Sabha poll in Orissa to be held for three seats on June 17.
“Patnaik has resorted to all kinds of unethical and undemocratic means to ensure victory of Biju Janata Dal’s third candidate” Rudra Narayan Pani, the state unit vice president of the BJP and Rajya Sabha member alleged.
Patnaik held meeting with anti POSCO group and state leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and with the leaders of Nationalist Congress Party Monday and Tuesday respectively to win their members in the assembly, he told Odisha.in.
Similarly Prasad Harichandan, the chief whip of the Congress part in the state assembly has also made similar allegation.
“After five years of silence, the way Patnaik took a U turn and met with the CPI backed anti POSCO leaders is a matter of surprise. It was intended to gather support of CPI in Rajya Sabha poll”, Harichandan said.
“Under the representation of the people act 1951, a candidate or his agent cannot influence a voter by making any promise to vote or refrain from voting” he said.
“Patnaik not only met anti POSCO leaders, he also held a meeting with the legislatures of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday and assured them to formulate and implement a regional development package for Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar district, which is illegal” he said.
“He should have done all these things before the nomination was issued” Harichandan said.
Both Congress and BJP leaders said they are drawing the attention of the election commission into the matter.
“The meetings were nothing do with Rajya Sabha election” refuting the allegations a BJD spokesman said.
In the 147-member assembly, the BJD has 103 members, Congress 27, Bharatiya Janata Party {BJP) six, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) four and the Communist Party of India (CPI) one. There are six independent members.
The state will have three vacancies in the upper house of parliament with Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, Congress’ Radhakanta Naik and BJP’s Bhagirathi Majhi completing their tenures on July 1.
BJD has re-nominated Mohapatra and fielded former legislator Sashi Bhusan Behera and its general secretary Baishnab Parida for second and third seats.
The BJD can ensure victory of first two candidates on its own strength. However it requires the votes of 8 others to get the third seat.
The emergence of businessman Tara Patnaik as an independent candidate for the third seat with the support of main opposition Congress party has made the battle tough.
While the BJP and CPI have not yet made their stand clear, three independent members have said they will vote for the independent candidate. NCP has said it will vote for BJD.
Odisha.in