Money, government machinery & anti-social elements used to influence Panchayat polls: Harish Rawat

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun

Former chief minister Harish Rawat has alleged that the BJP used the nexus of money power, police, administration and anti-social elements to influence the Panchayat elections in the State. He announced that he would restart Nyay Yatra in the State from September in protest against the misuse of official machinery for fiddling with the Panchayati Raj system.

Rawat was interacting with the media- persons at the headquarters of the State Congress here on Saturday. He said that at first the government tried to delay the Panchayat elections and later the reservation roster was disturbed as per a conspiracy.

Rawat said that the government deliberately avoided declaring the reservation on the posts of district Panchayat presidents before the first stage of the elections and used it to its advantage later.  He alleged that reservation of four districts was deliberately tempered to ensure advantage for the ruling party. Rawat claimed that in the first stage of the elections where the people directly elect their representatives, the BJP supported candidates lost in large numbers.

He said that the relatives and family members of  40 senior leaders of BJP were defeated in the Panchayat elections. The former CM said that in the second stage of the elections, incidents such as kidnapping occurred which were unprecedented in the history of the State.  Rawat said that he will take out a Nyay Yatra in State to expose the wrongdoings of the BJP in the Panchayat elections and added that the State unit of the party will also chart out a comprehensive protest plan on the issue.

 He said that in Rudraprayag, a black pen was deliberately given to one district Panchayat member and his vote was cancelled. Rawat said that in Nainital, district Panchayat members were kidnaped. Rawat said that CM Dhami’s manipulative politics were on display during the Panchayat elections.