Odisha Congress president, supporters attacked in Ghasipura

KEONJHAR: Just two days ahead of the third phase of elections, Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik’s vehicle was attacked and some of his supporters were injured after political rivalry with the BJD spilled on to the streets, resulting in clashes in

Ghasipura

assembly segment under Keonjhar

Lok Sabha

seat on Sunday.


While Niranjan escaped unhurt, police said at least seven of his supporters were injured. Two of them sustained head injuries after being pelted with stones while others suffered bruises on their hands, legs and faces.

Locals alleged that supporters of school and mass education minister Badri Narayan Patra clashed with Congress workers when Niranjan’s road show was moving near Bhandaripada under Ramachandrapur police station limits around 6pm. There, BJD supporters reportedly stopped the Congress workers and accused them of having flouted the model code of conduct (MCC) by campaigning beyond the 5pm deadline. This led to a heated exchange of words which soon turned physical as Niranjan and his supporters were attacked and stones pelted upon the state Congress chief’s vehicle.

Elections to Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat and seven assembly segments under it are scheduled on Tuesday.

Niranjan said the attack on him and his supporters was engineered by the BJD. “I have been drawing the attention of the Election Commission about the use of money and muscle power by the BJD to browbeat voters. Central forces should be deployed in Ghasipura to ensure free and fair polling on Tuesday,” Niranjan said. A Congress delegation met the Election Commission officials in Bhubaneswar and lodged a complaint against the BJD.

While BJD’s Ghasipura nominee Badri Narayan was immediately unavailable for comment, the party denied Niranjan’s charges. “The Congress flouted the poll code and attacked our workers. The Congress is synonymous with hooliganism,” a BJD spokesperson said.

The incident, coming in the backdrop of the last month's murder of Congress leader Ramachandra Behera, has cast a shadow over the Ghasipura election. Ramachandra was murdered just a day before he was supposed to join the BJD.

Talking about Sunday’s incident, SP (Keonjhar) J N Pankaj said, “Campaigning for the third phase of elections was scheduled to end at 5 pm on Sunday. BJD supporters alleged the Congress was busy campaigning beyond the deadline. A clash soon broke out following an altercation between the two groups of supporters. Some vehicles were damaged. Niranjan was unhurt.”

The SP added, “BJD supporters even alleged that some Congress leaders from outside the assembly constituency were campaigning beyond the deadline (in violation of the poll code). He said the police are also verifying reports of blank firing by supporters of both the parties during the clash.

Both parties blamed the other for starting the trouble. “We have received complaints and counter complaints. The charges are being verified. The election officials will be requested to verify allegations of violation of model code of conduct by the Congress,” another police officer said.