BJD’s posters and banners in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack violate poll code: BJP tells CEO

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha alleged that posters and banners of the state government are not being removed from various places in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack even though the model code of conduct(MCC) for the upcoming elections has been effective. A delegation of the BJP took up this allegation with the Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday. 

The saffron party pointed out that posters highlighting Jaga Mission and Mukta Yojana are still visible at the BJD’s ward offices of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).

Moreover, the BJP alleged that the ruling party has been giving publicity to Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha in rural areas.

The BJP leaders led by Lekhashree Samantasinghar submitted a complaint along with pictorial evidence of their allegations.

Speaking to the media, BJP leader Samantasinghar said, ”The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already made it clear that since the model code of conduct has been in force, all these advertisements of the government displayed at public places should be removed.”

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“We now see that big hoardings of the ruling party showing the pictures of the Chief Minister along with the party symbol and slogans to highlight various programmes are still visible in many places. They have not been dismantled as yet. We met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and gave him all pictorial evidence," she alleged.

The BJP leader further added that the CEO was surprised and wanted to know the details of the places where such advertisements have been displayed. The CEO assured the delegation that all these advertisements will be removed soon, she added.

However, no comments have been received from the BJD in this regard.