"Fixed" match between BJP, Congress in Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, says BJD's VK Pandian as Dharmendra Pradhan files nomination for LS polls

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], May 3 : With Odisha gearing up for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, BJD leader VK Pandian who is a close aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has said that Congress is in a very sad state of affairs at many places in the state with BJP locally fixing them and alleged that the two parties have "fixing" in Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar parliamentary constituencies. While Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is BJP candidate from Sambalpur, party MP Aparajita Sarangi is re-contesting from Bhubaneswar.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Pandian also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of a "marital relationship" between BJP and BJD and said the Congress leader is a bachelor and should not be giving advice on marriage and relationships.
Pandian said Congress used to be the main challenger of BJD as an opposition party more than a decade back.
"They (Congress) are in a very sad state of affairs and in many places, BJP is locally fixing with them. There are two Parliamentary constituencies where they are having a fixing - Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar...I am putting it on record, I am saying with all conviction," Pandian said.
Dharmendra Pradhan, who is Union Education Minister, has returned to the electoral fray after 15 years and filed his nomination from Sambalpur parliamentary constituency on Thursday.
Congress has changed its candidate in Sambalpur and has now fielded Nagendra Pradhan, who joined it recently from BJD. The Congress had earlier announced Dulal Chandra Pradhan as its candidate from the seat.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded Pranab Prakash Das, its organisational secretary, from the seat. The party has also changed some candidates in seats falling under the Sambalpur parliamentary seat to improve its prospects in both assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
BJD has fielded Manmath Routray from Bhubaneswar and Congress has fielded Yasir Nawaz.
Odisha will go for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Naveen Patnaik is seeking to steer the party for a sixth straight term in office in the assembly polls.
Answering a query about Rahul Gandhi's allegations, Pandian said that BJD maintains a level of decency in political discourse and it does not mean that it is collaborating with the party in opposition.
"He(Rahul Gandhi) specifically used the word 'marriage'. He is a bachelor, he should not be giving advice on marriage and relationships. In political discourse, the Chief Minister's idea is, his commitment or value system is that one should not cross that decency, that is the value system he has...That doesn't mean that we are collaborating with the opposite party against whom we are fighting the elections," said Pandian, who is also 5T chairman.
During his visit to Odisha last month, Rahul Gandhi had accused BJD of being in partnership with the BJP.
"They are in a marital relationship," he said, adding that it can be called marriage or partnership, but the two parties "are together".