Odisha Raj Bhawan turned into war room for Jharkhand elections: BJD

The Opposition BJD on Thursday trained its gun on Governor Raghubar Das, saying he is going to contest elections in Jharkhand.

Taking a swipe at the Governor, BJD Rajya Sabha MPs Sasmit Patra & Sulata Deo alleged that Raj Bhawan has been turned into the war room for the Jharkhand elections.  

“The Governor as well as the Raj Bhawan is way above politics. But in the past few days, it can well be felt that the Raj Bhawan has now turned into a virtual political hub. After the elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Raj Bhawan. He had then said his visit was purely personal. The cause of his visit was known when Mohan Majhi went to Jharkhand to campaign for his party. Venkaiah Naidu also stayed in the Raj Bhawan. Saying personal visit, they are making it a political ‘adda’. They have to answer,” said Deo adding the Chief Minister went to Jharkhand after getting an undeclared order. 

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‘It is being discussed that the Governor is going to contest in Jharkhand. We don’t have anything to say about that. But, before leaving Odisha, he must give justice to Biakuntha Pradhan who was beaten up by his son Lalit Das,” she added. 

MP Patra said, “The Governor or the Odisha government should clarify whether the Raj Bhawan has turned into a political hub. Is he in the race for the Jharkhand Chief Minister post? For this, he is tarnishing the dignity of the Raj Bhawan. They should also clarify that the visits of top BJP politicians to the Raj Bhawan are personal or political. And my last question is when Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who said the law would take its own course, will take action against the Governor’s son.”

Reacting to the statements of the BJD leaders, BJP’s state spokesperson Dilip Mallick said, “They can’t digest being out of power after ruling the state for 24 years. And, they have also infightings. To divert the attention from the infightings, they have started throwing stones at the Raj Bhawan. If a Chief Minister of another state meets the Governor, it may either be a courtesy visit or on personal grounds. It’s a part of their social life. If the BJD is making an issue of it, it is unfortunate.”

No reactions were received from the Raj Bhawan.