Nuapada, Oct 31: Political tensions flared in Nuapada district after police conducted a raid at the rented residence of senior BJD leader Preeti Ranjan Ghadei, who is actively campaigning for the November 11 Nuapada by-election.

Acting on intelligence reports of hawala money allegedly being used for election expenses, the raid was carried out without a warrant, sparking outrage among BJD leaders.

The raid, which yielded no recoveries, was met with resistance from BJD workers who confronted the magistrate and questioned the legality and timing of the operation. A scuffle reportedly broke out between the caretaker and police during the search.

BJD leaders accused the administration of selective targeting and claimed the raid was politically motivated to tarnish their campaign. BJD MLA Ananta Narayan Jena criticized the raid and called it politically driven.

Meanwhile, BJP has countered the allegations, stating that BJD is resorting to diversion tactics and should approach the Election Commission if they have evidence. Adding to the political drama, BJP held a merger event in the same region, welcoming a local sarpanch and 11 ward members into the party, along with hundreds of BJD workers.

In a separate development, BJD staged a protest outside the Nuapada Collector’s office, accusing government officials of misusing their positions. BJP responded by reminding BJD of its own administrative record and challenged them to present facts to the Election Commission.

As the November 11 bypoll approaches, the district remains on edge with both parties intensifying their campaigns and accusations.