BJP, BJD accuse each other of violating Model Code of Conduct in Odisha

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha have accused each other of violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state.
A delegation of BJP leaders met the chief electoral officer of Odisha on Tuesday accusing the BJD of misusing ASHAs, Anganwadi workers and government officials in its campaign. On the other hand, the BJD has written to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar, accusing the BJP of misusing the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s name and threatening state government officials on poll duty of transfers if they did not support the BJP in the polls.
BJP Odisha vice president Golak Mohapatra alleged that a block-level federation (BLF) member was seen holding the BJD’s party symbol and canvassing for the party in Chandbali. “We have also submitted photos and videos of Anganwadi workers and ASHAs, who have been campaigning for the BJD candidates in Berhampur,” he alleged.
The BJP also alleged that the state government has sanctioned over ₹500 crore of the tribal welfare development department to an NGO despite the model code of conduct being in force. “When the model code of conduct is in force, the government has sanctioned ₹528 crore to an NGO which, we suspect, will help the ruling party in its operational areas,” he said.
However, BJD leader Prafulla Samal said his party never asked anganwadi and ASHA and BLF members to campaign. “Women are so impressed by the development agenda of chief minister Naveen Patnaik that they are spontaneously doing it. They want Naveen Babu as their chief minister again,” he said.
The BJP also lodged a complaint against senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer DS Kutey, who is now posted in the chief minister’s office as a special secretary, for allegedly working for the BJD.
The BJP in its complaint with the ECI pointed out that even though the Commission has already barred the IPS officer from election duty, he has been appointed as the special secretary at the CMO and is getting multiple works of the ruling party done through the superintendents of police (SPs) and inspectors of various police stations.
“Since he has been working on behalf of the BJD, his cell phones should be seized immediately and call details record (CDR) be retrieved,” the BJP demanded urging the ECI to probe the call detail records of the officer and make the information public as to whom the IPS officer has spoken to.
On the other hand, BJD Rajya Sabha member and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra cited the transfer of six IPS officers and two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of Odisha on non-poll duty and alleged that BJP leaders are using these transfers as an example.
“The Odisha BJP poll candidates and leaders are calling up Odisha officials on election duty, stating that these transfers were done by the ECI based on Odisha BJP’s complaints. They further threaten that if these officials don’t support the Odisha BJP, then they would ensure their transfers as well by falsely complaining to the Election Commission of India. By doing this, the Odisha BJP leaders and poll candidates are destroying our hard-earned democratic process and the credentials of our electoral system,” alleged Patra in a letter to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
Beginning May 13, elections to the 147 seats in the state assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies will take place on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of the votes will take place on June 4.