Bhubaneswar: Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today expressed his gratitude to the people of Odisha for their unprecedented support to the BJP which is closely following the ruling BJD in the ongoing three-tier Panchayat polls at the end of the 4th phase polls on Sunday.
“The current trend clearly reflects the antipathy of the people towards the ruling BJD which is gradually losing its ground,” Pradhan told media persons here.
The Union minister said the trend also is a pointer for the BJD as it has grossly failed to woo the rural voters to its favour. “The ruling party has suffered a big jolt as people have found BJP as their alternative choice despite use of muscle and money power by the BJD, he said, hoping that the current trend would also be repeated in the fifth and final phase polls.
Pradhan, however, expressed grave concern over the final results of the polls.
“It is my concern that after the 5th phase Panchayat Polls to be held on February 21, the results as sourced by the media and the final results that will be declared officially on February 25, is highly suspected to be tampered by the ruling BJD.”
He even added, “We have reiterated our concern to the State Election Commission (SEC) that some senior bureaucrats are conspiring to tamper the poll results. We hope that the Commission would intervene in the matter and take actions accordingly,” he pointed out.