Jharsuguda: On Wednesday evening, during an election campaign for the Jharsuguda bypoll in Niktimal, supporters of the BJP candidate, Tankadhar Tripathy, and BJP MLA Kusum Tete were attacked and pelted with eggs and stones by alleged supporters of other political parties. The incident reportedly occurred during a BJP programme in the village of Niktimal in the Niktimal Panchayat.
According to sources, a heated exchange occurred between BJP workers and supporters of other political parties, which led to the alleged pelting of stones and eggs. Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete, who was also present at the event, was accused of being targeted with stones and eggs, prompting her to file a complaint at the Laikera police station.
The attackers reportedly shouted slogans like ‘Go home, go back, Tanka’. The incident resulted in one BJP worker being injured. Kusum Tette, who was also present at the event, claimed that the attackers brought the eggs and stones from outside and called for police protection, stating that they felt unsafe.
Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete stated that while she was giving her speech, BJD workers threw eggs and stones at her and also verbally abused her. One of her drivers was hit with a stone during the incident. Consequently, Tete lodged a complaint at the police station and demanded protection from the police for herself and her team members. She expressed fear of being unable to continue the campaign due to safety concerns.
The incident has caused concern about the safety of political leaders and workers in the run-up to the Jharsuguda bypoll. The voting for the bypoll will be held on May 10, with the counting of votes set to take place on May 13. The murder of sitting MLA and Cabinet Minister Naba Das on January 29, 2023, forced the byelection.
