Odisha polls: Surrogate ad in BJP’s poll campaign CD?

Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in for further trouble as the poll campaign music video released today apparently promotes a central government scheme in way of ‘surrogate advertising’, in violation of Model Code of Conduct.

The 4:16 min duration election campaign video was today released by the state unit BJP along with other poll campaign materials at its state headquarters here in the presence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, national vice president Baijayant Pradhan and other senior leaders.

The video shows a woman using an LPG connection with ‘UJJWALA’ embossed on it. Besides, the lyrics also clearly mention the name of the centrally-sponsored scheme.

ରଙ୍ଗ ଲାଗିଲା…ରଙ୍ଗ ଲାଗିଲା…
ମୋଦି ରଙ୍ଗ ଲାଗିଲାରେ ଲାଗିଲା…ବିକାଶର ରଙ୍ଗ ଲାଗିଲା,
ପୂରୁବ ଉଦୟରୁ ଭାରତ ଉଦୟ ଶୁଭ ଅନୁକୂଳ ହୋଇଲା l

ଆଜି ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ମୋଦି ମନ୍ତ୍ର କରେ ମତୁଆଲା…#PhirEkBaarModiSarkar pic.twitter.com/oUmsAee2Ku

— BJP Odisha (@BJP4Odisha) March 28, 2019

Also Read: BJD petitions CEO over violation of model code of conduct by BJP

Earlier, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had lodged complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here alleging poll code violation by the saffron party.

The BJD had complained that banners and hoarding of central schemes displaying surrogate advertisements were yet to be pulled down. The party had also lodged complaint against Kendrapara MP candidate Baijayant Panda of violating Model Code of Conduct for using video campaign vehicle.

Also Read: Odisha Elections: BJP launches poll campaign materials

It may be mentioned here that both BJP and BJD have moved the CEO seeking action against each other over use of surrogate advertisements to promote schemes like Ujjwala and KALIA by Central and state government respectively.