Bhubaneswar: Following the arrest of BJP MLA candidate from Khurda, Prasanta Kumar Jagadev, on Sunday for allegedly vandalising an EVM and assaulting polling personnel in a booth on Saturday, BJD renewed its attack on the saffron party for having fielded several candidates like him having controversial antecedents.
“The BJP has been regularly welcoming people who are goondas, land grabbers, cheats and money launderers.Not only has the BJP welcomed them, they have also given them tickets. Jagadev was expelled from BJD for his criminal activities,” BJD national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra told journalists here.

The regional party also took a dig at former BJD MP and BJP nominee from Kendrapada Lok Sabha seat, Baijayant Panda, for his alleged link in FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations and money laundering, involving the Bahamas scandal.
“Recently, two central leaders of the BJP campaigned in Kendrapada and said they wanted to take action against land grabbers. The foremost among the land grabbers is Baijayant Panda. His company has illegally grabbed land from scheduled caste people,” Patra alleged.
He further said, “Panda was embroiled in the Bahamas scandal. Three shell companies registered in the Bahamas had funnelled money into his TV company.”
BJD also cited the example of BJP’s MP nominee from Berhampur, Pradeep Panigrahy, who was arrested by the state crime branch on December 3, 2020 for allegedly duping several unemployed youths by promising them jobs in Tata Motors. Panigrahy, outgoing MLA of Gopalpur, was expelled from the BJD in 2020.
While Jagadev and Panigrahy were unavailable for comment, BJP accused the BJD of promoting hooliganism.
“BJD should not comment on the conduct of our candidates. Many BJD candidates have serious criminal antecedents. BJD is synonymous with hooliganism and resorted to violence in the first three phases of the election,” senior BJP leader Samir Mohanty said.
Panda’s office rubbished the allegations against him. “These are false and motivated allegations and have been refuted many times. Shri Panda’s family are highly reputed for their professional and ethical business practices over 6 decades. BJD’s allegations are a clear case of ‘ulta chor kotwal ko daante’ in light of their many mega scandals and looting of Odisha,” read the statement from Panda’s office.

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