BJP team meets EC, seeks CM Naveen’s disqualification

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Demanding disqualification of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as a legislator for allegedly filing false poll affidavit, a delegation of BJP including party national spokesperson Sambit Patra today met the Election Commission of India and presented documents to substantiate their claims.

Talking to media after the meeting, Patra alleged, “Naveen has filed a false poll affidavit and lied to people as well as the Election Commission as his poll affidavit shows Rs 13 lakh has been transferred to his bank account through RTGS. However, statement of expenditure mentioned in the party’s affidavit says Naveen did not get funds through RTGS. Instead Rs 16.48 lakh was transferred through bank cheque to Naveen’s account.”

Patra added filing false affidavit is construed as a crime and therefore, the party delegation demanded disqualification of Naveen as a MLA.

Among others, BJP poll candidate from the Hinjili constituency Debananda Mohapatra and legislator Rabi Naik were members of the party delegation.

Reacting to the development, Rajya Sabha MP and BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said the saffron party is trying to defame BJD and the chief minister.

“After they (BJP) failed in their strategy while using media as a tool, the saffron party has knocked the doors of the Election Commission to bring a bad name to us,” Deb added.

He further commented, “There is nothing new to BJP’s move and it is just a conspiracy to defame BJD.”