Bhubaneswar, June 12: The state government is yet to lodge a formal complaint with police about the controversial audio cassette, which purportedly has the voice of labour minister Puspendra Singh Deo trying to buy over Congress MLA Sibaji Majhi through a middleman.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has assured to look into the controversy, but the authenticity of the cassette, which has been rubbished by the ruling party, is yet to be established.
The cassette was allegedly made during the 2010 Rajya Sabha elections which, the opposition alleged, was swept by the ruling party by resorting to horse trading. The BJD had fielded three candidates in that election. But the third candidate was falling short by eight votes for an outright victory. However, in the event, all BJD candidates won as the ruling party managed the votes of some independents while three opposition MLAs — one of the BJP and two of the Congress — abstained from voting.
The cassette, which portrays Singhdeo as bargaining for Congress MLA Sibaji Majhi, also mentions the names of energy minister Atanu Sabyascahi Nayak and BJD senior leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra who, himself, was one of the candidates in that election.
Stepping up their attack on the government, the Opposition Congress and BJP demanded resignation of the chief minister Naveen Patnaik over this issue.
BJP leader Rajnath Singh, who is in the state at present, said: “Chief minister Naveen Patnaik should sack the two ministers. Criminal action should also be initiated against them.” BJP state unit president Jual Oram said: “If the state government fails to initiate action in the matter within a week, we will file a PIL on this issue.”
Addressing a press conference here today, senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said: “Either the police or the vigilance should suo motto lodge an FIR and start an inquiry over this issue.” Demanding the chief minister’s resignation, Mishra, who was accompanied by former minister Nalini Kant Mohanty, party vice president Shibanand Ray and spokesperson Arya Gyanendra, said: “The cat is now out of the bag. Now, there is direct evidence against the chief minister. The BJD believes in horse trading.”
Accusing the chief minister of being involved in horse trading during the Rajya Sabha elections held on last June 17, 2010, Mishra said: “Only a CBI inquiry would bring out the truth.”
Mishra hinted at the possibility of independent minded citizens filing an FIR on the issue to ‘protect’ democracy.
However, a police officer said: “Only after a case is lodged, we can start inquiring into the issue and ask the TV channel, which had aired the tape, to handover the cassette. Action can be taken in accordance with law. The police cannot take any action in this regard suo motto.”
On the other hand, the ruling BJD leaders are still struggling to put their act together in the wake of the controversy. With Damodar Rout, one of the most vocal leaders of the party, has been sidelined, no one else seems capable enough to rise to the challenge of defending the party.
“We had never thought in our wildest imagination that such an audio cassette will surface one day. There is also the possibility of a video cassette appearing on the issue. Why should we take a risk by opening our mouths at this juncture?” said a senior BJD leader on conditions of anonymity.
