Bijepur Bypoll: BJD approaches CEO against OTV

ONI Bureau: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has approached the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, seeking his intervention to restrain OTV, saying the channel is telecasting ‘paid news’ related to Bijepur Bypoll.

BJD leaders Surjya Narayan Patro and Pratap Deb held a press meet to bring serious allegations against OTV. They claimed that the channel is working on an agenda to help the BJP candidate in Bijepur.

They further alleged that all panel discussions, debates, scrollings and reports are biased towards the BJP candidate in Bijepur. They urged the CEO to put those programmes in the expenses of BJP candidate.

The OTV has rubbished the allegations, saying it has given space to all parties and leaders without any bias. “We have maintained our neutrality for the last 20 years. The allegations are merely baseless and malicious in nature,” the channel said.

BJP candidate from Bijepur Ashok Panigrahi has also rejected the allegations, saying all media houses had taken his interview, and OTV is not the only one channel. “The BJD leaders don’t know the definition of ‘paid news’,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJD MP Prasanna Patshani did not support the views expressed by the leaders at press meet against OTV, saying it could be their individual opinion. “It’s up to the people who they want to win. TV channels can’t decide the poll outcome,” he added.

Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati rejected the allegations against OTV, saying Surjya Patro and Pratap Deb are not speaking their mind, rather they are saying what 3rd Floor has instructed them to say.