Bhubaneswar, April 13: Accusing the BJD of misusing the state’s machinery and using money to influence voters of Laxmipur Assembly constituency, which went to polls yesterday, Samruddha Odisha, a regional party, has urged the Election Commission of India to conduct an independent probe withholding the counting.

Samruddha Odisha president Jatish Chandra Mohanty told reporters here today that he had drawn the attention of the Chief Election Commissioner to BJD’s false moves.

Alleging that the ruling BJD under the leadership of chief minister Naveen Patnaik had violated the model code of conduct, the party chief said more than 48 MLAs and 11 ministers were engaged in influencing the officers in favour of their party candidate.

“It was a naked exhibition of official power and money. Hundreds of vehicles were used to carry people to the campaign meetings addressed by the chief minister, who moved from place to place by a chopper,” said Mohanty, a bureaucrat-turned-politician.

No restriction on use of vehicles was imposed by the chief electoral officer of the state or other officials monitoring the bypoll, he lamented.

Anganwadi workers and members of self-help groups were blatantly bribed by state women and child development minister Pramila Mallick to influence voters in favour of ruling BJD candidate, alleged the Samruddha Odisha chief demanding an independent probe into all the allegations.

“Crores of rupees were spent just before the by-election to influence the voters. The government machinery was used to sink tube-wells and provide electricity supply in order to woo the voters. Police was either a silent spectator or instrumental in helping the BJD ministers and MLAs in distribution of huge money among the voters,” he added.

Citing a specific instance of police helping the ruling BJD candidate, Mohanty said election agents of his party were prohibited to enter into different areas of Laxmipur constituency.

But the BJD ministers and MLAs escorted by the police force entered different villages and distributed crores of rupees to vote in favour of their party candidate. The police force entered into polling booths and pressurised the voters to vote in favour of the ruling BJD candidates on the polling day, he alleged, adding that the presiding officers were also hand in glove. Urging for withholding the counting of votes and conducting an independent probe, the Samrudhha Odisha president said: “If our allegations are found true, re-poll order should be passed for the entire constituency to uphold the dignity of the democracy.”