By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/PIPILI: BJP on Thursday alleged that the tall claims of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that his BJD will not hold rallies for rescheduled Pipili bye polls, was nothing but an eyewash. Sharing photos of BJD candidate Rudrapratap Maharathy’s campaigning, BJP Women wing leader Kasturi Mishra alleged that like other declarations of Chief Minister Patnaik , it was too just an eyewash.
“Campaigning is going on full swing at Pipili despite of @CMO_Odisha ‘s declaration of no campaigning due to #COVID19. Like other declarations before, was it an eyewash only??,” BJP Women wing leader Kasturi Mishra tweeted @mishra_kasturi.
“Every life is precious and I always consider people of #Odisha as my family members. In this extremely serious #COVID19 situation amidst surge in cases in the country,@bjd_odisha has decided not to hold any public rallies or campaign meetings in Pipili bypoll,”Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had few days back tweeted @Naveen_Odisha. In view of the raging pandemic, BJD president Naveen Patnaik had said the party would not hold any rallies or campaign meetings in the run-up to the Pipli Assembly by-election.
“We contest elections to serve people. If the campaign has potential to endanger lives, I would earnestly appeal to political parties and the Election Commission to reconsider both the duration and method of campaigning,” Patnaik had said.
As per the notification, poll will be held on May 13 between 7 am and 6 pm. April 26 is last date for filing of nominations while nominations will be scrutinised on April 27. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 29.The counting of votes will occur on May 16 and entire process will be completed before May 18.
