Bijepur misses Poll Date again; BJD turns heat on EC

ONI Bureau: While the Election Commission announced assembly poll dates for Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, Bijepur missed the date yet again, drawing sharp criticism from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.

Polling in Tripura will take place on February 18. Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on February 27. Counting will be held on March 3.

BJD General Secretary Sanjay Dasburma took strong exception to exclusion of Bijepur from the poll schedule, saying there is an attempt to crush the democratic system. He also raised questions on the impartiality of the Election Commission.

The Bijepur bypoll was necessitated following the death of three-time Congress MLA Subal Sahu on August 22, 2017. Late Subal Sahu’s wife Rita Sahu joined the BJD and became the official candidate of the party.