PCC chief accuses BJP of trying to rig polls, misuse government machinery
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Senior leaders of the Congress met here on Sunday to discuss the party’s strategy for the Panchayat elections. The party appointed district in-charges and a coordinator to boost its electoral efforts.
Chairing the meeting, the Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara appointed 12 senior party leaders as district in-charges. In addition to Mahara, former chief minister Harish Rawat, leader of opposition Yashpal Arya, former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal, former minister Harak Singh Rawat and PCC vice president Suryakant Dhasmana were among the party leaders who participated in the deliberations. Informing about the meeting, Dhasmana said that the party leaders expressed their intention for the party to contest the Panchayat elections in a serious manner.The party leaders said that strong candidates should be fielded for the pstsof Gram Panchayat member, Gram Pradhan, block Panchayat member and Pramukh, district Panchayat member and chairperson. It was further stated that the party leaders and workers should put in all effort to ensure the victory of the candidates of the party.
The PCC chief alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party had indulged in dishonesty at the very start of the Panchayat elections. He said that the manner in which the reservation roster was nullified is unconstitutional and a vilation of the Panchayati Raj Act. The basis for reservation for posts of district Panchayat head and member, block Panchayat Pramukh and member and Gram Pradhan and Gram Panchayat member has been kept different, which is against the rules. Mahara further said that holding the election in two phases shows that the BJP is scared of a defeat and is trying to rig the polls and misuse its power and the government machinery to get a favourable result.
Former CM Harish Rawat said that the PCC should put in all its strength to ensure that the candidates supported by the party win the Panchayat election. Leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha, Yashpal Arya opined that the State government will misuse the government machinery in these elections, considering which the Congress should observe special vigilance. The rural populace of the State wants to teach the BJP a lesson by defeating its candidates, which will benefit the Congress, he said. Former PCC chief Ganesh Godiyal said that he had sought a reply from the Pauri district magistrate about the irregularity in reservation in Pauri district but did not get a satisfactory reply.
Meanwhile, Dhasmana informed that the PCC chief had appointed in-charges in the 12 districts where the Panchayat elections are being held. Former MP Mahendra Pal Singh has been made in-charge of Champawat, Mahendra Singh Lunthi of Bageshwar, Dhirendra Pratap of Almora, Bhagirath Bhatt of Pithoragarh, former MLA Sanjiv Arya of Nainital, former MLA Ranjit Singh Rawat of Udham Singh Nagar, Suryakant Dhasmana of Tehri, former minister Mantri Prasad Naithani of Uttarkashi, MLA Vikram Singh Negi of Rudraprayag, MLA Virendra Jati of Dehradun, Pradeep Thapliyal of Chamoli and MLA Lakhpat Butola of Pauri.
