A desperate move by the BJD workers to garner more seats for the ruling party has led to instances booth capturing and alleged tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs). The Election Commission has ordered re-polling in six booths of Niali Assembly segment under Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency, two booths in Keonjhar and one booth in Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency.

In the last 2009 polls, Naveen’s BJD had won 103 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. This was an increase of 42 seats after it parted its ways with its 10-year old ally, BJP. The BJD managed to get 14 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The numbers had ensured the Chief Minister a comfortable position and even helped him to abort a coup staged by his one-time advisor, Pyari Mohan Mahapatra, who could not master enough support to form a breakaway group either.

With a view to increase his tally in the current polls for the state assembly and Lok Sabha, Naveen poached key leaders of the Congress party like the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh, Nayagarh District Congress President Hemendra Singh, senior Congress leaders like Kamala Das, CLP Secretary Anup Kumar Sai and Mema Gamang, wife of the former Congress Chief Minister Girdhar Gamang.

Despite the claims of Naveen for increasing BJD’s tally in the current elections, several opinion poll surveys point to the decline in party’s strength, but not enough to deny him the chief ministership.

Even the increase which the BJD is aspiring is only marginal. The party vice president Kalpataru Das has gone on record saying that BJD would get at least 105 seats in the state assembly and increase its tally in the Lok Sabha from 14 to 17.

As the Congress party has become weak due to infighting and its key leaders deserting the party, chances are there for the BJP to increase its strength, banking on anti-incumbency prevalent at places and the “Modi” factor. If the BJP increases its strength to at least 26 in the 147-member state assembly, it would gain the status of a recognised Opposition party. BJP had a strength of 32 in the Odisha Assembly in 2004 and had slipped down to 6 in 2009. BJP also expects to gain four seats at the expense of BJD.

Naveen’s worry is not of losing chief ministership, which he is confident to retain. His worry is about retaining his numbers. High voter turn-out in the two-phased simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections at 74% against 65.3% polling in last general elections in 2009 has added to Naveen’s worries as large number of young voters, particularly the first-time voters are desirous of a change. Women voters have outnumbered men in tribal dominated Kandhamal and Gajapati districts. In at least four out of 13 assembly segments in Ganjam district turnout of women was more. Women turnout was more in Phulbani assembly constituency, G Udayagiri and Baliguda reserved constituencies.

Both the Congress and the BJP have alleged rigging at various places. “Tall claims of having conducted a free and fair elections in Odisha are hollow and misleading. There was largescale rigging at many places through BJD-bureaucrat nexus,” Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Jayadeb Jena alleged.

Jena has alleged that the ruling BJD government not only used its power and machinery, but also indulged in rampant use of money and muscle power. He has alleged gross irregularities, manipulations and rigging in 101 booths in Ghasipura Assembly segment in Keonjhar district and EVMs found in the vehicles of government officials and those associated with the election process in Mahakalpada, Baripada and Bhubaneswar (central) which expose the evil designs and nexus with the ruling party. He also cited the example of Kamakshyanagar Assembly segment in Dhenkanal district and alleged that sub-collector had entered the strong room. There are also doubts about free and fair elections in Mayurbhanj district.

Congress also alleged rigging in at least 16 places in Ganjam district’s Chikiti bloc during the first phase of polls in April 10.

Responding to the allegations the Election Commission has suspended a college teacher, Ganeshwar Jena and initiated probe against him after TV footage showed alleged rigging during April 17 election. Four other polling officials who were at the same station are also being probed. Also, a criminal case has been lodged against five polling agents at the same centre. (IPA Service)