Intensifying its campaign against Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Odisha unit of BJP today lodged a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking a probe into Patnaik's poll expenditure.
"We have requested the ED to probe into Patnaik's poll expenditure and from where did he got the amount to spend in the elections. As the Chief Minister has already dubbed the BJP's charges are false and malicious, we have sought the ED help," BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty told reporters.
The BJP alleged that there was lot of discrepancies in the poll expenditure of Patnaik, who won from Hinjili assembly segment in 2014.
Mohanty said the people of Odisha have right to know the source of the ruling BJD's funding. "We doubt, the BJD has received funds from chitfund companies. They have spent such money in the 2014 general elections," said BJP spokesman Golak Mohapatra.
The BJP alleged that while Patnaik showed one figure as his poll expenditure, the BJD in its documents showed another figure for Hinjili assembly segment in its affidavits. Patnaik had signed in both the affidavits as a candidate in Hinjili and as the president of the BJD.
Earlier, the BJP had lodged a compliant against Patnaik before the Election Commission of India and Income Tax department.
The Orissa High Court yesterday had adjourned to Monday the hearing on a bunch of pleas alleging discrepancies in the poll expenses of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his party BJD.
The BJP had been demanding disqualification of Patnaik as a legislator alleging that he had filed false poll affidavit before the Election Commission of India.
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