Bypolls: 23 in fray for Ajmer seat, 19 in Alwar
Twenty-three candidates are left in the fray for the Ajmer parliamentary by-election after three candidates withdrew their names on Monday.
In Alwar, four candidates withdrew their names, leaving 19 in the poll fray.
In Ajmer, 30 candidates had filed nomination for the by-election. Four nominations were rejected during scrutiny of forms, said Gaurav Goyal, the returning officer.
Goyal said two electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be needed for every both, as one machine can accommodate only 16 names. “Now, we have to make arrangements for more EVMs and have to increase the numbers of strong rooms to keep them after elections,” he added. “We have asked election commission to send more machines; we have got some and some are on way,” he further added.
In Alwar, district collector and returning officer Rajan Vishal said Shadi Khan, Upen Yadav, Ashwani Bhardwaj and farmer leader Ram Pal Jat withdrew their nominations on Monday. This leaves BJP’s Jaswant Yadav, Congress’ Karan Singh Yadav and nine Independents in the poll fray.
JAIPUR (RURAL) SP ACTING AS BJP AGENT: CONG
The Congress on Monday filed a complaint with the election office alleging that the Jaipur rural superintendent of police was acting as an agent for the local BJP candidate, Ramswaroop Lamba.
Rameshwar Chaudhary, who is SP of the area under which Dudu (part of Ajmer parliamentary constituency) falls has been threatening Congress workers to implicate them in false cases if they did not slowed down their election campaign, alleged the Congress in its complaint with the election office.
“He (Chaudhary) is acting as BJP agent and is influencing people to vote in favour of BJP candidate Ramswaroop Lamba,” alleged Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, the Congress spokesperson for Rajasthan.
“We demand election commission to remove Chaudhary on two grounds: 1, Chaudhary is acting a BJP agent and 2, he is in the area for over three years now; it is violation of the norm as no officer with three years or more tenure can stay during election,” said Khachariyawas.
He also alleged that other ministers of the state government camping in Ajmer are pressurising the officials of their respective departments to convince people in their neighbourhood to vote for BJP. “They have convened meetings of officials of their departments and have given tasks to motivate people to vote in favour of BJP,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, an independent candidate, Shiv Bhagwan, alleged, “Someone called me on my mobile and threatened to kill me if I did not withdraw my name,” said Bhagwan. “I have submitted a complaint to SP with the number from which the call was made to take action against the caller,” he added. However, Ajmer SP Rajendra Singh expressed ignorance about the incident.
CONG, BJP IN WAR OF WORDS IN ALWAR
Former Union minister Jitendra Singh criticised on Monday the statement of Rajasthan Panchyati Raj minister Rajendra Singh Rathore that Congress was anti-Rajput because it denied Singh the ticket for Alwar Lokh Sabha by-election. Jitendra Singh said Rathore’s statement was given in frustration because the BJP will lose all the three by-elections.
Singh said the state government had failed over the last four years as far as the development works are concerned. “All projects started during the Ashok Gehlot goverment have been stopped in the district. The government has destroyed brotherhood in the state,” Singh said.
Reacting to Rathore’s statement that Cong was anti-Rajput, Singh said five Rajputs were given ticket in 2009 in the parliament elections. “Chandresh Kumari and I were made central ministers,” he said.
Dr Karan Singh Yadav was given Congress ticket on his recommendation, Singh said. “I proposed his name to the Congress high command. Rajputs have decided to oppose the BJP in these bypolls which has made Rathore frustrated,” he added.
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