BHUBANESWAR: The continuing face-off between the ruling BJD and opposition BJP ahead of the panchayat polls intensified with both the political parties knocking the doors of State Election Commission (SEC) again on Tuesday accusing each other of violation of model code of conduct.
A BJD delegation led by former minister and spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda drew attention of the SEC to advertisements published in local Odia dailies on Tuesday on Atal Jyoti Yojana, which the party said are in gross violation of the model code of conduct for panchayat polls.
This is the third time BJD has come up with such a complaint before SEC, the memorandum submitted by the party said and added that in spite of repeated complaints, these advertisements continue to be published/telecast in local newspapers and TV channels though the model code of conduct for the panchayat polls is in force in Odisha.
“It is therefore requested that immediate steps may be taken at your end to stop publication/ telecast of such advertisements which are being done in violation of the model code of conduct,” the memorandum said. BJD MP from Koraput Jhina Hikaka and spokesperson of Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) Bijay Nayak accompanied Nanda.
On the other hand, a delegation of the BJP also met State Election Commissioner RN Senapati and requested his intervention to stop violation of model code of conduct by the ruling BJD. The BJP demanded that voters’ list should be made available in all block offices as directed by the SEC in the last all-party meeting.
Though the SEC had directed that voters’ list should be made available at all block offices, it is yet to be done by the State Government, the memorandum submitted by BJP stated and added that the BJD is trying to create difficulties for other political parties.
Besides, though the model code of conduct is in force, the BJD is campaigning on different schemes like Niramaya Yojana in all hospitals and Ahaar has photographs of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, it said and added that the SEC should initiate steps to take out such advertisements with the CM’s photographs. The BJP delegation comprised State vice-president Samir Mohanty, spokesperson Sajjan Sharma, secretary Dillip Mallik, Lekhashree Samantsinhar and Bisnu Das.