Khariar Road in the bypoll-bound Nuapada assembly segment witnessed heightened tension on Friday following a raid at the rented residence of BJD senior general secretary and former minister Priti Ranjan Gharai.
The search was carried out in the presence of a magistrate and was accompanied by armed security personnel.
According to reports, the raid was prompted by allegations that a large sum of cash was stored at Gharai’s residence.
Khariar Road in the bypoll-bound Nuapada assembly segment witnessed heightened tension on Friday following a raid at the rented residence of BJD senior general secretary and former minister Priti Ranjan Gharai, a prominent campaigner for the opposition party.
The search was carried out in the presence of a magistrate and was accompanied by armed security personnel.
Angered by the action, BJD workers and leaders attempted to block the officials’ convoy, raising questions about the timing and purpose of the raid. A video circulated on social media showed party members confronting the magistrate, demanding to know on whose orders the operation was conducted, intensifying frustration among party ranks. However, the video could not be independently verified, PTI reported.
According to reports, the raid was prompted by allegations that a large sum of cash was stored at Gharai’s residence.
Condemning the move, BJD senior vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra claimed the raid was carried out without a search warrant or a legitimate reason. “The raid team claimed they acted on the Election Commission’s orders, but failed to produce an official copy,” Mishra told reporters. He also noted that Gharai was away at his panchayat for election-related activities when the search took place.
Earlier, police had conducted similar searches at the Congress office in Nuapada, drawing criticism from opposition parties.
At a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJD leaders demanded action against the Nuapada district collector, who also functions as the district election officer, and the superintendent of police. A party delegation submitted a petition to Chief Electoral Officer RS Goapalan, alleging misuse of administrative machinery in favor of the ruling BJP.
“The ruling BJP, fearing defeat, has resorted to unethical tactics and has even brought leaders from Chhattisgarh to mislead voters. Soon after the DGP’s visit to Nuapada, local police officials received unwritten instructions to support the BJP. Following this, the Collector and SP began acting in a partisan manner, intimidating BJD leaders and workers and attempting to influence voters,” alleged BJD leader Lenin Mohanty. He further claimed that nearly 500 individuals brought from Chhattisgarh by the BJP impersonated police personnel to harass voters and BJD supporters in the constituency.
Rejecting the allegations, BJP leader Manoj Mohapatra stated, “BJD leaders should understand basic principles. During election time, when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, the administration and police operate under the Election Commission. Neither the party nor the state government had any role in the raid on the BJD leader’s rented house in Nuapada.”
With PTI inputs
