PNS | DEHRADUN
The Bharatiya Janata Party has defended the appointment of administrators in Panchayat Raj bodies and assured that elections will be conducted at the earliest. Countering allegations by the Congress, spokesperson of BJP in Uttarakhand Suresh Joshi accused the opposition of politicising the issue and pointed out that previous Congress governments had a record of not holding elections for over 22 years.
Joshi stated that the delimitation of new municipal Panchayats and other necessary procedures are being finalised and when elections are held, the BJP is confident of securing a victory in all seats. Answering media queries about Congress’ accusations, Joshi said that under the Panchayati Raj Act, neither can the tenure of Panchayats be extended indefinitely, nor can elections be conducted without completing the required processes.
“The government had no choice but to appoint administrators to ensure uninterrupted development in rural areas,” he said. He further claimed that Congress, frustrated by recent electoral losses, is resorting to misleading arguments. He alleged that previous governments, including Congress, frequently delayed Panchayat elections for periods ranging from six months to a year. Joshi assured that the government will complete all constitutional formalities and hold elections soon.
