BJP hijacked local body polls in Dadra and Nagar Haveli: Cong
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of hijacking the local body polls in Dadra and Nagar Haveli by conspiring with officials to get about 80 per cent of its candidates' nomination papers rejected.
The opposition party said it will raise the matter with the poll authorities responsible for local body polls in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and also approach the Bombay High Court on the issue.
Congress' in-charge for Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Manikrao Thakare, alleged that electoral "rigging" is taking place in the UT.
There was no immediate reaction from the UT election commission or the BJP on the Congress' claims.
"A major scam has been exposed in the local body elections. Going beyond vote theft, the entire election has been stolen in this region. The BJP planned so well that no one contested against it, thus hijacking the entire election," Thakare said at a press conference here.
He was accompanied by AICC secretary co-incharge Anjali Nimbalkar and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Congress president Prabhu Tokiya.
The nomination dates for the elections were announced from October 10 to 17 and therefore, the nomination forms should have been posted on the website so that they would be available to everyone, Thakare said.
However, on October 10, there was no mention of any such form on the commission's website, he claimed.
"On October 13, a list of documents was provided. When people went to collect these documents, they were told that the staff had gone for election training. Not only this, even those who somehow managed to fill out the forms, their forms were rejected during scrutiny. A conspiracy was hatched to prevent people from filling out the forms," he alleged.
Not a single BJP form was rejected in the civic elections, while nearly 80 per cent of Congress forms were rejected in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli local body polls, Thakare said, adding that a similar scenario took place in Daman and Diu.
"The BJP has stolen the entire election with the help of officials. The public is suffering from this oppression," Thakare alleged.
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send the message that “Muslims are being targeted.”
“I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, “People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline.”
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers, and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of Chief Minister’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun.
They were also said to have not actively participated in the campaign.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the CM.
Rejecting allegations of factionalism within the party, Shivakumar said, “We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?”
“All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress,” he added, saying there are no factions within the party and that such claims are media-driven.
Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
“We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together,” he said.
Later, speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said he discussed with Shivakumar the issue of withdrawing Jabbar’s suspension. He said he will also visit New Delhi next week to meet the high command and discuss state developments.
“Jabbar’s suspension was discussed (with Shivakumar). It should be withdrawn. Let’s issue him a notice and allow him to reply. Then let’s send the report to the high command and seek their approval. High command approval is necessary because the instructions came from there. It may take some time,” he said.
Stating that he met the KPCC chief for “damage control,” the minister said, “We have tried to convince him. Sometimes certain decisions happen that need rectification.”
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