BJP, Congress slam Odisha Government, block NH-26

JEYPORE: Protesting the State government’s inability to prevent conduct of panchayat elections in the disputed Kotia panchayat in Koraput district, the Congress and BJP on Saturday blocked NH-26 near Kunduli for an hour.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the NH due to the blockade by the political parties which slammed the Biju Janata Dal government for its failure to stop AP polls. 

BJP leader Jayram Pangi and former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi slammed Koraput administration for failing to stop the polls and said the local officials stood mute spectators when voting was being carried out by their AP counterparts.

“Polling at Phatuseneri village in Kotia has exposed the lapses of Koraput district administration. It could have been stopped had officials of Koraput dared to tackle the matter fearlessly,” said Majhi while vowing to fight for Kotia as the son of the soil.

The Opposition party leaders said the entire issue had not only exposed the intelligence failure of the State government but also its failure of governance.

​They demanded action against the officials for the lapses.