Keep away from Politics, Congress warns industrial houses

Bhubaneswar, Mar 14 (UNI) The Orissa Congress today warned the business houses to avoid indulging in politics and funding the ruling BJD-BJP in the just concluded Panchayat elections in the state.

Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee President Jayadev Jena told newsmen here that the party has prepared a list of the business houses who had funded the election for being illegally benefited by the government.

These industrial houses would be taken to task in future, Mr Jena said adding that the ruling BJD and BJP would not the able to protect them all the time.

He also cautioned the business houses not to act as an agent of the BJD-BJP in the state and said the party would submit a detailed report in this regard to party president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

On the role of the district officials supporting the ruling parties blindly in the just concluded Panchayat elections, Mr Jena said the party would depute a fact finding team to probe into the incident and expose these officials before the people of the state.

He said despite use of money and muscle power by the ruling BJD the Congress had won eleven Zilla Parishad President post and captured another seat along with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

Mr Jena further alleged that the congress had lost two Zilla Parishad President posts in two districts despite enjoying the majority due to the horse trading by the BJD-BJP. He claimed the party has secured the Chairman post in 123 Panchayat Samiti and captured more than 60 per cent Sarpanch posts.

UNI