Pattamundai/Bhubaneswar, Jan 25: Over the alleged forged withdrawal of nomination of two dalit candidates in Penthapal Panchayat, yesterday one of the Congress team led by senior leader, Ganeswar Behera moved to the State Election Commission thus demanding the transfer of Pattamundai BDO and election officer. Behera warned that if the BDO is not transferred then they would move the court today and talk to the common people. He also said that the candidature of the dalit women, Gayatri Sethy and Pramila Mallik should remain valid and the guilty should be awarded punishment, who withdrew the nomination papers by forging the signatures of the candidates. Behera earlier had alleged that the election officers in charge of conducting polls have formed an unholy alliance with the BJD to ensure the victory of candidates who owe their allegiance to the ruling party. Additionally, Senior Congress leader, Narasingha Mishra too allegedly said that the candidature of opposition parties’ candidates is deliberately cancelled to help contestants of the ruling party win in the panchayat polls. On the other hand, Election Commission secretary, Rabindra Sahu ensured that the matter is being looked into and necessary action would be taken upon examining the report and the complaint. Meanwhile, MLA Kishore Tarai feigned ignorance about the issue. Reacting on the charge that attempt was made to ensure victory of his wife in Penthapal panchayat, he said there is no mention in any where that the wife of a legislator can not contest the poll. Yesterday morning, Congress activists blocked the road near Penthapala panchayat by burning tyres on road. They staged demonstration against the local BJD MLA.
Notably, it came to fore that Gayatri Sethy and Pramila Mallik, who had filed nominations from Penthapala panchayat samiti in Pattamundai block, were declared to have withdrawn their nomination papers. Congress activists gheraoed Pattamundai block office and claimed that the two dalit candidates never applied for withdrawal.
