1 hr ago
Rajasthan Parties Camp Councillors Ahead of Civic Polls
Rajasthan is preparing to elect chairpersons and mayors for several local bodies.
The Congress and BJP are trying to keep their councillors together before voting.
Congress says government officials and police are pressuring some of its councillors to switch sides.
It also says some councillors have faced threats or official notices.
The BJP says Congress has not proved that the elections are being manipulated.
BJP leader Rajendra Rathore says councillors may be choosing to support the BJP willingly.
In Sikar, Congress has more councillors than the BJP, but it is still worried about losing support.
The voting will decide which party controls several local civic bodies.
Congress alleges police and administrative pressure is being used to influence its councillors before Rajasthan civic body elections.
Congress and BJP have moved councillors to secluded locations to prevent defections and cross-voting.
In Sikar, Congress has 38 councillors, compared with 22 for BJP, alongside four independents and one RLP councillor.
Congress leaders cited alleged threats, notices and official actions in places including Bharatpur, Bikaner, Khairthal and Mandhan-Behror.
BJP leader Rajendra Rathore rejected the allegations and said Congress councillors may simply want to support the BJP.
- Who
- The Congress and BJP, along with their councillors, are contesting chairperson and mayor elections in Rajasthan local bodies.
- What
- Both parties are keeping councillors in secluded camps amid allegations of pressure, defections and possible cross-voting.
- Where
- The contest involves local bodies in Rajasthan, including Sikar, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bansur, Fatehpur, Kuchera, Alwar and Bikaner.
- When
- The elections are approaching; Sikar’s chairperson election is scheduled for September 21, with other votes due within days.
- Why
- The parties want to prevent councillors from switching sides or cross-voting and to secure control of the local bodies.
Congress Allegations
BJP Response
Pressure on councillors
Congress Allegations
Congress leaders allege that police, administrative officials, demolition notices and other legal actions are being used to intimidate councillors and supporters.
BJP Response
The BJP says Congress has not established that the elections are being manipulated and argues that councillors may be choosing to support the BJP.
Purpose of councillor camps
Congress Allegations
Congress says it has gathered councillors and some of their families in secluded locations to protect them from pressure and attempts to lure them away.
BJP Response
The BJP has also placed its winning councillors in a secluded location and says Congress previously isolated its own legislators to prevent horse-trading.
Election mandate
Congress Allegations
Congress leader Tika Ram Jully says voters have already delivered their verdict and that administrative pressure or horse-trading would subvert it.
BJP Response
The BJP maintains that councillors who are impressed by its work should be free to support it.
Key facts
- Sikar election date
- The chairperson election is scheduled for September 21.
- Sikar Congress councillors
- Congress has 38 councillors.
- Sikar BJP councillors
- BJP has 22 councillors.
- Other Sikar councillors
- Four independents and one RLP councillor were elected.
- Congress allegation
- Congress says police and administrative machinery are being used to pressure or separate its councillors.
- Party response
- BJP leader Rajendra Rathore rejected the allegations as proof of manipulation.
Quotes
Govind Singh Dotasra
Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief
“In several places, councillors were being taken away or attempts were being made to separate them from the Congress camp. I am getting multiple calls from different districts. Congress councillors are threatened with demolition notices or other legal actions are taken. In Bharatpur, police and administration is working with the government and have said that CM Bhajan Lal’s reputation is at stake as this is his home district where it is important to make the BJP board. This is a dictatorial||||-2”
indianexpress.com
“Whether it is the police high-handedness in Mandhan-Behror, the deployment of GST and Environment Department teams to the Congress candidate’s factory in Khairthal, the attempt to pressure Congress Councillor Manoj Bishnoi in Bikaner via a notice from the Bikaner Development Authority. I wish to state clearly to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma that the arrogance of power, administrative pressure, and police high-handedness will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The public has already||||”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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