New Delhi: A delegation of Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal on Sunday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) at New Delhi for strict action against Union Minister for State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) while campaigning for BJP candidate in the Dhamnagar by-poll in Odisha yesterday.
BJD Rajya Sabha members Dr Sasmit Patra and Amar Satpathy today submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner apprising the ECI that the Odisha BJP has a very old habit of violating electoral Model Code of Conduct especially when they start fearing and realising that they are going to suffer a massive electoral defeat. In desperation and frustration, they start violating the MCC. The same was seen in a Union Minister of State’s violation of the MCC yesterday.
Union Minister for State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu fearing and realising the upcoming massive electoral defeat of the BJP in the Dhamnagar by-poll, in an act of desperation and frustration, violated the electoral Model Code of Conduct (MCC) while campaigning for the BJP candidate in the Dhamnagar by-poll in Odisha yesterday, 29th October, 2022m, the BJD said.
The conch party also submitted a video as evidence to prove their allegation against MoS Bishweswar Tudu. In the video, Tudu is seen addressing multiple electronic media channels wherein he makes assurances and promises that Government of India works with reference to Jal Shakti would be undertaken by him in Dhamnagar, which is in dear violation of the Model Code of Conduct. “The MCC guidelines strongly prohibits making any assurances and promises of undertaking any Governmental works by any public representative while the election MCC is in force. In this case, a Union Minister of State is found violating the said MCC, the BJD said.
“In the video, while addressing multiple media channels, Tudu can be dearly heard saying in Odia (that has been paraphrased in English) that “after going from here; in Bhubaneswar I have already told in CWC and Govt of India departmental officers. I will have discussion with them and will send them here immediately. State Government and Government of India officials will jointly come here and analyse. Report will be given within a month. Thereafter, after discussing with my departmental officers; whatever we can do we will do, read the memorandum.”
“Such promises and assurances by no one less than a Union Minister of State of Jal Shakti, about Jal Shakti works in Dhamnagar, where the by-poll is ongoing; is a dear and absolutely blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. His frustration and desperation due to the upcoming electoral defeat of his party in the Dhamnagar by-poll has resulted in such a blatant violation which is a habit of the Odisha BJP,” its further mentioned.
The BJD has demanded that strict and exemplary action be undertaken against the violating Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti. ‘If action is not taken against the concerned Union Minister of State, it will set a very bad precedence for the voters of Dhamnagar and for democracy at large,” the BJD added.
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