BJD has abducted MLAs, allege BJP, Cong

The Pioneer, June 17, 2010
PNS, Bhubaneswar

The Congress on Wednesday alleged that its Langigarh MLA Shibaji Majhi has been abducted by some BJD party members at the behest of its supremo Naveen Patnaik. Kalahandi MP and PCC working president Bhakta Charan Das filed a first information report (FIR) at the Capital police station here to this effect. Addressing a Press conference, Das said while Majhi on way to Bhubaneswar from Bhawanipatna on June 14 evening had stopped at a petrol pump at Khurda, some people waiting there called him and took him away from the car forcibly. The driver of the vehicle followed the car up to Baramunda but in vain.

Majhi is not available and his mobile remained switched off.

Das has mentioned all these in the FIR. Das has also mentioned apprehensions that at a time when the process of Rajya Sabha election is on, the Congress has issued a whip to all its MLAs, including Majhi, to remain present for voting. It might have been done by the ruling BJD members on instructions of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to keep Majhi away from the election process, Das apprehended in the FIR urging the inspector-in-charge to investigate the matter and find out Majhi.

The BJP also alleged that its MLA from Bonei, Bhimsen Choudhury, has been abducted on the eve of the Rajya Sabha polls. State party spokesman Ashok Sahu said Choudhury was forcibly taken away from his official quarters by two young BJD leaders, including an MLA, in a bid to force him to refrain from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Sahu, however, refuted reports in a section of the media that two other BJP MLAs, Hitesh Bagarti and Manoj Pradhan, were also absent at the party legislators' meeting here on Wednesday. They were very much present in Bhubaneswar, added Sahu.