BJP-BJD war of words over deferred Patkura poll

BHUBANESWAR: As the State is limping towards normalcy after cyclone Fani devastated the coastal areas, politics has intensified over postponement of elections to Patkura Assembly seat under Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency with the ruling BJD and rival BJP engaged in a war of words.

Targeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, BJP candidate Bijoy Mohapatra on Thursday alleged that the BJD had provided wrong information to Election Commission of India (ECI) on the basis of which it decided to postpone the election by two months.

The election to Patkura Assembly was scheduled in the fourth phase in the State. It was adjourned following the demise of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla. The ECI then rescheduled it to May 19. However, after the Chief Minister took up the matter with the ECI in view of the impending cyclone, it was postponed again by 60 days.

“In an attempt to delay polls, the BJD came up with a plea that cyclone Fani had caused extensive damage in Kendrapara district and pleaded with the ECI to further postpone the polls. Going by the post-cyclone situation, damage in Patkura has been minimal compared to the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack,” Mohapatra said.

Maintaining that the BJD wanted the polls to be deferred for vested political interest, Mohapatra challenged the regional party to make the report (submitted to the ECI) public. Stating that the BJP has approached the ECI and chief electoral officer (CEO) in this regard, Mohapatra said the Commission has now come to know about the situation. The BJP veteran said there was no reason to postpone the election as the situation in Patkura is normal.

Senior BJD leader Surya Narayan Patro, however, said the people of Odisha are aware of the forecast made by the national and overseas meteorological organisations about Cyclone Fani and the damage it inflicted in the coastal districts of Odisha. “Considering the predicted intensity of the severe cyclonic storm, the Chief Minister had urged the ECI to postpone Patkura polls to ensure the safety of the people. There was no hidden political agenda in postponement of the polls,” he said.

A high level team of the BJP, comprising Union Minister Piyush Goyal, party’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda and spokesperson Sambit Patra met the ECI on Wednesday and alleged conspiracy by BJD president and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to stop Patkura Assembly polls.