KalingaTV News Network
New Delhi: A day after the BJD questioned the affidavit on poll expenditure filed by Jual Oram in the 2014 elections, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs dared ruling party supremo Naveen Patnaik to face a probe while offering to resign if the charges against him are proved.
Oram claimed that there was nothing wrong in his affidavit and termed the BJD’s allegation as politically motivated.
The Union minister claimed that BJD is trying to cover-up the allegation of discrepancies in the poll expenses against the regional party and its supremo levelled by the state BJP by finding fault on his poll expenditure.
“I have done nothing wrong. BJD’s allegation is baseless and has been made with vested interest. I am ready to face a probe and resign if any evidence found against me. But the CM, who is trying to cover up his fault by leveling same allegation against me, must resign first,” said Oram at a press meet in New Delhi.
At a press conference on Saturday, BJD MP Pinaki Mishra had alleged that Oram had produced a fake affidavit on his poll expenses before the Election Commission and sought his resignation on moral grounds.
“A candidate should mention the detailed expenditure he incrurs during the election. Jual Oram on Schedule no-7 of the election expenditure statement had declared that he had not spent any money from his own pocket. However, he has stated in serial no.8 of the Schedule no-9 that he has spent Rs 19,000 and in serial no. 9 he has spent Rs 2 lakh through cheque. This apart, from serial no 12 to 14, the Union Minister said he had spent Rs 1.4 lakh. Thus he had produced a false affidavit and therefore, he should resign from his ministry on moral grounds,” Mishra had claimed.
Ms Kalinga