BJP Slams BJD Over 'Defunct Transformer' Jibe At Late Balasore MLA

Balasore: Amid the high-voltage campaigning for the bypolls in the State, the BJP today came down heavily on BJD leader Kuna Tripathy for allegedly making irresponsible comments targeted at the late MLA of Balasore Sadar Assembly constituency, Madan Mohan Dutta, whose demise necessitated the bypoll.

Tripathy courted controversy when he said that Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik is 'ensuring development of Balasore just like Hirakud is sending power to transformers, and if a transformer is defunct, there can be no development.'

Taking a dig at the late MLA, he said, "People are saying that the transformer which had been sitting here for the last few days didn't do any work. So, Naveen Babu has sent a good transformer (party candidate for the Assembly seat) to ensure fast development."

"Tripathy is not aware of the importance of the election, the tradition and culture of Balasore. Making such statements to lure voters is dangerous for democracy," said BJP leader, Satya Brata Panda.

Responding to the BJP, ruling-BJD MLA Debi Mishra said, "What the actor-turned-politician meant to say was that if the BJD is the ocean of development, its transformers also need to be in the symmetry for overall development."

(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)

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