BJD ‘goondaraj’ imperils free, fair polls: Niranjan

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Apr 16:

Former President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik today said the ‘goondaraj’ unleashed by a panicky Biju Janata Dal (BJD) apprehensive of losing the elections poses a grave danger to democracy.

Referring to the murderous attack on Jeypore Congress candidate Taraparasad Bahinipati’s brother Tuna Bahinipati, son Jyotiram Mohapatra and nephew Gupta Prasad Mohapatra barely hours after the first phase of polling on April 10, Patnaik said it was only the latest in the series of incidents where ruling party goons have run amok.

The refusal of the Chief Minister, who also happens to be the Home minister, to take action on such incidents and instead repeat his stock response that “Law will take its course” had encouraged criminals, the senior Congress leader alleged.

While the safety and security of the citizens is under grave threat, physical attacks on opposition leaders and workers had become more the norm in the state and threatened free and fair elections, Patnaik alleged.

The peace loving people of Odisha would reject the BJD, which is attempting to wrest power through ‘goondaraj’, he hoped.