Bhubaneswar: A day after completion of voting for the much awaited Patkura Assembly seat, a political slugfest has started among the major three parties in state. BJP levelled EVM tampering and booth rigging charges against BJD while the ruling party termed it ‘fear of defeat’. However, Congress alleged both BJD and BJP have spent huge amount of money for the seat.
Speaking to the media here, state BJP secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar alleged that in fear of defeat, the ruling BJD has tampered EVM machines and changed the machines with help of presiding officers. The BJD has also rigged many booths, she alleged.
She alleged that on behest of the BJD leaders, the presiding officers have tried to change the polled EVMs with others in the forest area. “A video purportedly showing EVM tampering by two presiding officers has been circulating in social media. Out of 309 booths, EVMs of 307 booths reached the strong room. What happened to other two machines?” she asked.
Additional 100 EVMs, which were not used in the election, were also there in the strong room along with the polling machines. Through the help of presiding offers, the ruling party tried to exchange the machines, the BJP leader alleged.
However, BJD leader Sashibhusan Behera rejected the allegations made by the BJP. He said, “The allegations are false and baseless. It has become habit of the Saffron party to level such false allegations.”
Attacking the BJP, Behera said, “In fear of defeat, the BJP is making such allegations.”
Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati said the party is also contesting the polls in hope of victory but is not able to spend the amount of money as BJD and BJP. He alleged that both BJD and BJP have spent huge amount of money for the election.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said the 72.75 per cent of the 2.44 lakh voters exercised their franchise Saturday amidst tight security during the election to Patkura Assembly seat. Polling for the seat had been postponed twice in the past two months due to the death of BJD candidate and cyclone Fani.
