AMN / New Delhi
BJP has urged Election Commission to disqualify Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik as MLA. A BJP delegation Thursday met the Election Commission and demanded disqualification of Naveen Patnaik as MLA over alleged irregularities in the Biju Janta Dal (BJD) poll funding.
The delegation submitted a memorandum to the poll panel in this regard. The delegation of BJP Odisha, office-bearers and MLA’s was led by party national spokesperson Sambit Patra. They alleged that Mr Patnaik had lied under oath, while submitting his election affidavit in the year 2014; when he contested from Hinjli constituency in the Ganjam district of Odisha.
Led by Dr Patra, the delegation demanded disqualification of Mr Patnaik as a MLA under Section 77 of People’s Representation Act, 1951.
‘Naveen Patnaik had stated in the affidavit that he had received an amount of Rs 13,10,625/- through RTGS (cheque) bearing Number 538976288 on April 2, 2014 from his party that is BJD towards election expenditure,’ Dr Patra said. The BJD, of which Mr Patnaik is also the president, had filed the statement of Election expenditure on July 28, 2014 through the party treasurer Mr Lalbihari.
‘Surely this had the tactical approval of the Party President as well. In this statement of expenditure it is shown that the party had paid Mr Naveen Patnaik on two occasions through cheques (Numbered 441619 and 795036) and not RTGS. The first cheque was worth 10 lakh rupees and the second cheque worth Rs 6,48,320. Both these total to Rs 16,48,320/- and not Rs 13 lakh as claimed by Naveen Patnaik,’ the BJP spokesperson said in a statement. ‘Mr Naveen Patnaik has misrepresented facts on two counts. The route of payment which the party says is through cheque and not RTGS. He also lies about the amount paid to him by the party,’ Dr Patra said. ‘Moreover it’s astonishing to find that the RTGS number claimed by Mr Patnaik is also the RTGS number of Mr Ramchandra Hansda, the MP of BJD, who is behind bars because of his involvement in Chit fund scam,’ Dr Patra said. The BJP spokesperson said the question is, was the BJD using the chit fund scam money to contest elections in 2014?
The delegation also demanded that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBDT investigate into the RTGS number. The EC, after hearing the delegation and going through the memorandum, promised to look into the matter, Dr Patra added