News from Odisha

BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya alleged that senior police personnel including higher-ranked officials like DG, IG and SP have become the agents of the State government and are working in their favour.

For the second phase of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, 33,000 police and security personnel have been deployed at 9,162 polling booths to ensure a peaceful voting process on Monday.

BJP's Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha candidate Aparajita Sarangi criticized BJD leader VK Pandian for making negative comments on PM Modi and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. She challenged BJD MPs to disclose their performance reports, highlighting a demand for political accountability.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticized the Congress and BJD's governance in Odisha, citing poor development over 75 years. He praised PM Modi's leadership and the BJP's achievements including Article 370 abrogation and Ram Temple construction. Singh also highlighted issues under BJD rule like halted benefits from Central schemes.

Bhubaneswar IMD Director Manorama Mohanty assured that there's no need for panic as no cyclone is predicted currently, though a low pressure may form by May 22 in the Bay of Bengal. She emphasized ongoing monitoring and future updates.

Nimapara MLA Samir Dash resigned from BJD and joined BJP, citing lack of trust from BJD leaders and denial of an election ticket. He predicts BJP will win with a large margin in upcoming elections, impacting both Nimapara and parts of Jagatsinghpur district.

During the intensified election surveillance in Odisha for the 2024 polls, substantial amounts of cash were seized in separate incidents in Bhubaneswar and Sonepur. Officials are enforcing strict measures to ensure free and fair elections, with recent seizures indicating heightened scrutiny.

Former Minister and Nimapara MLA, Samir Ranjan Dash, resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after being denied a ticket for the 2024 elections. Expressing dissatisfaction with the state leadership, Dash ended his long-standing association since 2006.

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Congress leader Sachin Pilot criticized BJP and BJD at a Balasore meeting, calling them two sides of the same coin.

In Bhubaneswar, amid state elections, the Commissionerate Police seized a luxury car without a registration number.

During the ongoing elections, Congress reportedly faced financial crunch with frozen AICC accounts impacting campaign efforts. The Congress chief expressed concerns over unequal campaigning capacities compared to rivals.

Villagers in Boudh vandalized the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences premises over allegations including illegal road construction, lack of local employment and exploitation of tribal children.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to Odisha on a two-day visit beginning tomorrow. He will start the campaign with a roadshow in Puri and then address public meetings in Angul and Cuttack. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah will also hold rallies in different parts of Odisha on May 19 and 21 respectively

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has started probing the alleged murder of BJP worker Dilip Pahan in Khallikote, where all election booths have been declared as sensitive booths.