Violence erupts in Bijepur seat, BJP worker critical

Saffron party threatens to launch massive protest

Earlier during the byelection in Bijepur in 2018, miscreants had opened fire at Manoranjan’s house.

Pre-poll violence erupted in Bijepur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district ahead of the much-awaited byelection after a local BJP leader was allegedly attacked over a political rivalry, reports said on Saturday.

According to sources, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Manoranjan Meher was attacked by unknown assailants near Kanapali Square in Bijepur late on Friday night. Critically injured, Manoranjan was then rushed to Bargarh district headquarters hospital.

This is not the first time a local BJP supporter became the victim of ongoing political rivalry. Earlier during the byelection in Bijepur in 2018, miscreants had opened fire at Manoranjan’s house.

Senior BJP leaders alleged that the ruling BJD carried out the attack to threaten its party workers and supporters. The saffron party threatened to launch a massive protest if the accused involved in the attack are not arrested at the earlist.

“This is the strategy of BJD to suppress our supporters with the power of guns and swords. BJD is carrying out such attacks ahead of the bypoll. Our party will launch a massive protest if the accused and the mastermind behind the attack are not arrested at the earliest," said BJP state vice-president Aswini Sarangi.

BJD leaders could not be contacted on the allegations of BJP.

In another development, the BJD president and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced Rita Sahu as the party’s candidate for the Bijepur bypoll.

The Congress had earlier declared party leader Dillip Panda as its nominee for the poll.

The BJP, according to party’s state vice-president, is most likely to announce the name of its official nominee on Sunday.