BJP approaches Election Commission against Naveen Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. (File Photo)

The BJP on Thursday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of “lying under oath” and approached the Election Commission to seek his disqualification as an MLA. A BJP delegation, led by its spokesperson Sambit Patra, submitted a memorandum with the EC alleging that the Patnaik- led BJD may have used chit fund scam money to contest elections in 2014. The memorandum referred to Patnaik’s election affidavit in 2014 when he contested from Hinjli constituency.

“It is astonishing to find that the RTGS number claimed by Naveen Patnaik is also the RTGS number of Ramchandra Hansda, the BJD MP who is behind bars because of his involvement in a chit fund scam,” the party said in a statement. “The delegation demanded disqualification of Naveen Patnaik as an MLA under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It also demanded that the Enforcement Directorate and the CBDT should probe into the RTGS number,” it said.