BJP, Cong lash out at BJD for use of party symbol in govt programmes

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have taken a swipe at the state government, alleging that the party symbol of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is being used in official schemes and programmes by violating various norms.

The BJP has already taken up the issue with the Election Commission of India while the Congress has met the Governor over the alleged use of the party symbol in official programmes. 

Addressing a presser in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, BJP leader Jatin Mohanty lashed his tongue against the ruling party, alleging that for the last 10 months, the government has been using BJD’s party symbol conch in official programmes. 

“Hundreds of crores from the state coffers are being splurged in the garb of publicizing government programmes where the party symbol is being used. The funds being spent in the name of publicity of programmes are in fact the hard-earned money of the people of Odisha, which have been collected in the form of various taxes. But the BJD is using all this for its own publicity. Such extravagance for party publicity is illegal,” Mohanty pointed out.

On the other hand, Congress has also objected to such use of the party symbol in the official programmes and huge expenditures on publicity. The party met the Governor on Friday over the issue and is consulting legal advisors for the next course of action.

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Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, the president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, Sarat Pattanayak said, "The ground under Naveen Babu’s feet is sinking. Out of desperation, BJD is acting on whims. We have raised the issue in the memorandum given to the Governor on the use of BJD’s conch symbol in govt programmes for which public money worth Crores are splurged."
 
Responding to the allegations of the BJP and Congress, BJD’s vice president Debi Mishra said that it is the Election Commission of India who take a call on the matter. 

But he struck back at the BJP, alleging that the BJP has been using its party symbol in the publicity of various welfare programmes.