The last and fourth phase elections saw widespread violence in Odisha along with cases of booth rigging and booth capturing marring the biggest festival of democracy.
All the three major political parties in the State- BJP, BJD and Congress- have brought poll violence and booth rigging allegations against each other. While BJP moved the Chief Electoral officer (CEO) of Odisha alleging booth rigging at as many as 64 booths by the ruling BJD and its Biju Yuva Bahini members, the BJD moved the CEO charging the saffron party with rigging in 12 booths in Bari.
Odisha Congress on the other hand accused both the BJP and the BJD of turning the peaceful electioneering and poll process in the State into a gory one.
“The reason behind the increase in violence during the elections was BJD’s fear of defeat. To save itself from the Modi wave, the BJD resorted to booth rigging and capturing,” alleged Odisha BJP vice president, Samir Mohanty.
BJD spokesperson Samir Das said that his party leaders and workers have never been involved in any type of poll violence.