BJD, Cong blame BJP over delay in conduct of Bijepur by-polls

The ruling BJD and Opposition Congress today blamed BJP for the alleged delay in conduct of a by-poll in Bijepur assembly segment of Odisha and drew in Election Commission into it.
The EC had announced January 29 as the date for by-poll to three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Rajasthan and West Bengal on Thursday. But there was no mention of by-poll in Bijepur though the state remained vacant since August 22 this year after the death of its sitting Congress MLA Subal Sahu.
BJD Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya said, "Election has been announced for seats which had fallen vacant after Bijepur. But there was no announcement in the case of Bijepur. I think holding back election to Bijepur will help those who are not ready."

The by-poll to Bijepur should have been held before February because of the annual matriculation examination in Odisha, he added.
BJD spokesman Samir Dash alleged that the EC delayed the announcement of date for Bijepur by-poll under the pressure of BJP.
"BJP knows well that its position will be third in the by-poll and that is why it has been delaying the election process," he said.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said "It appears that the ECI has been hand in glove with the BJP and is therefore delaying the election process in Bijepur seat."
By-polls were being held in seats in other states which fell vacant after Bijepur, he added.

BJP rejected the charges and said that the EC was an autonomus body free to make announcement for the by-polls.
"We are ready for the polls," said BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty.
Meanwhile, much ahead of ECI announcing date for the by-poll,
Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has already named Rita Sahu as the party candidate for Bijepur.
BJP is yet to announce its candidate, while Congress is yet to begin its spadework for the by-poll.