BJD questions Samal’s ‘conflicting’ affidavits, BJP hits back | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: BJD on Tuesday accused state BJP president Manmohan Samal of submitting contradictory information in affidavits to the State Bar Council and Election Commission. BJP dismissed the allegation as baseless and a conspiracy to malign Samal’s image.Addressing a press conference held at Shankha Bhawan, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Samal’s 2015 affidavit to the Bar Council claimed he had been practicing law at Chandabali court since 1986. However, the affidavit allegedly omitted his tenure as minister for food supplies and revenue from 2004 to 2009.“In stark contrast, his affidavits to the Election Commission during the 2019 and 2024 general elections made no mention of legal practice, instead listing social service as his profession,” said Mohanty.Pointing out that the Bar Council has recently issued a show-cause notice to Samal, BJD has demanded a public clarification from him and called for strict action against what they term a “serious violation”.“Such discrepancies from someone holding a high position in a national party raise serious concerns about ethical standards,” Mohanty added.BJP MLA Laxman Bag dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. “The timing of these accusations is suspicious. If there were genuine concerns, they could have been raised during the election process. This is merely another BJD conspiracy to malign our state president’s image,” Bag said.
