Jagatsinghpur, Apr 5: A controversy is doing the rounds upon the speech said by the newly-elected deputy chairman of the Odisha State Planning Board, Bishnu Das at the Jagatsinghpur Zilla Mahotsav ‘Kallolla’. The Congress protested on streets yesterday alleging that Das has made a political speech. The opposition members demonstrated ahead of the Collectors office here and burnt the effigy of the former parliamentarian. Das’ speech was that he predicted that his party, BJD will be winning four Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections. On the other hand, Jagatsinghpur municipality vice chairperson, Biplab Choudhary lettered to the Collector for an investigation. In his letter, he questioned that being a cultural event, how could a political leader lead the festival and on top of that the prediction of winning the seats in the upcoming elections has hurt the Odisha citizens here. Allegations were also made that the conch blowers who were roped in for the cultural rally of the event were wearing outfits with BJD’s party symbol. But Das has declined these allegations saying that he never mentioned about BJD.
