Allegations of Electoral Irregularities Spark Controversy in Odisha

The Odisha Congress has accused authorities of vote irregularities during last year's simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, questioning the large number of votes cast in the evening. The party is planning press conferences across districts to highlight alleged electoral malpractices they claim benefited the BJP.

In a heated press conference on Saturday, the Odisha Congress alleged significant voting irregularities during last year's assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.

State Congress President Bhakta Charan Das questioned how 42 lakh votes could have been cast between 5 pm and 9 pm on election day. He also pointed out discrepancies in the electoral outcomes, noting the BJD's failure to secure any Lok Sabha seats despite winning 51 assembly seats.

Das announced that the Congress will hold press conferences across all districts on Monday to expose what they claim was electoral manipulation that aided the BJP's rise to power. In response, senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra dismissed the accusations, urging the Congress to present evidence to the Election Commission or pursue legal action.

(With inputs from agencies.)