Forged caste certificate slur hurled at BJP’s Chitrakonda candidate

MALKANGIRI : Cracks in BJP are surfacing fast as former Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora has accused Padu Majhi, party’s candidate for Chitrakonda Assembly seat, of forging his caste certificate.
In a letter to Collector-cum-District Election Officer Manish Agarwal, Dora alleged that Majhi, a native of Masriguda village in Chitrakonda tehsil, belongs to Rana community which falls under OBC category and hence, is a non-tribal.

“Majhi has been holding a forged Tribe Certificate and falsely claims that he belongs to Paroja sub-tribe. This needs probe,” he said. Demanding an urgent investigation into the matter, Dora urged Agarwal to take necessary action. The BJP leader also demanded cancellation of Majhi’s Tribe Certificate and initiation of criminal proceeding against him. 

Addressing media persons on Sunday in presence of a large number of BJP leaders and supporters, Dora said it is unfortunate that the party gave ticket to a non-tribal to contest from a reserved ST seat.
“Giving party ticket to a non-tribal like Majhi is a well-planned conspiracy by BJP district president Ashok Kumar Parida and Chitrakonda constituency in-charge Askhya Biswas against Prime Minister Naredra Modi,” he alleged. 

Compounding Majhi’s woes, resentment is brewing among a section of BJP leaders and workers against him. On the day, shops and business establishments downed their shutters in Pangam over a bandh call given by BJP workers to protest his candidature.Majhi is all set to file nomination as the BJP candidate for Chitrakonda on Monday.