Odisha Chief Secretary holding closed-door pre-election meetings: BJP

Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that the ruling-Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is holding pre-election meetings behind closed doors with various officials at the behest of a specific IAS officer.

Addressing a presser, BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya raised questions over the closed-door meetings of government officials including chief secretary Aditya Padhi in a hotel in Bhubaneswar.

"Had the meetings been official, the concerned department ministers would have been present," Acharya said, questioning the modus operandi behind choosing a private hotel as the venue for the meeting.

The BJP leader further said that the meeting was organised at the behest of an IAS officer who is presently running both the party and the State administration. "We think, as per the direction of that officer, such pre-election preparatory meetings of the BJD are being organised," he added.