BJP misled people in state panchayat polls: Gehlot
CM appeals people to support Congress in coming civic polls; BJP calls Gehlot’s appeal ‘an illusion’
JAIPUR: Ahead of elections to 90 municipal bodies in Rajasthan, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Monday that BJP leaders misled people in villages during panchayat polls when the state government and the Congress were working to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Congress in Rajasthan had suffered a setback in terms of seats won in the rural body elections held in 21 districts in December last year. Of the total 4,371 seats of panchayat samiti members, the BJP won 1,989 and Congress 1,852. The Congress later claimed to have secured higher percentage of votes.
Gehlot said the BJP got exposed in the polls to 50 civic bodies in 12 districts, held 15 days after the panchayat poll results were declared.
The CM appealed to the people to support the Congress for development in the polls to 90 municipal bodies to be held on January 28.
“It is experienced that whenever there has been a Congress government in the state, development has been done for the slums. The campaign like Prashahan Shehro ke Sangh has resolved grievances of hundreds of thousands of people. Land lease deeds stalled for years were issued,” said Gehlot.
“The BJP made a noise over the numbers in the panchayati raj election results but the truth is that the Congress and BJP each have 98 pradhans. The vote percentage polled by the Congress in panchayat samiti polls was more than that of the BJP,” he said.
“When the Congress organisation and the government were working to manage the pandemic, the BJP, instead of helping the effort, was misleading people in villages. But they got exposed in the civic polls to 50 local bodies held after 15 days. The BJP councillors’ number was less than that of Congress and even of independents,” he said, adding the Congress formed boards in 38 out of 50 civic bodies.
BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the two years of Congress governance in Rajasthan has been “disappointing”. “There is resentment in all sections of society, especially the youth, unemployed and the farmers,” he said.
“The CM’S appeal ahead of the civic polls is an illusion. The government has failed to fulfil its promises. People have suffered due to infight in the Congress and therefore have made up their mind against the government. The impact will be visible in the upcoming civic polls.”
Pareek alleged that the Congress carried out delimitations on communal basis. “There is apprehension of misuse of government machinery, but they will fail to mislead the people.”
KOTA: The ruling Congress and opposition BJP have not fielded candidates in many wards of 90 municipal bodies in Rajasthan going to polls on January 28.
Leaders of both the parties said they are eying independent candidates for formation of municipal boards after the results will be announced on January 31. Out of the total 3,035 municipal wards in 90 municipal bodies, the Congress has not fielded candidates in 360 wards and the BJP in 498. The nomination process was completed on January 15.
Asked why the BJP has not fielded candidates in many wards, state party president Satish Poonia said, “It is part of our strategy to back independent candidates in some wards to avoid rebellion in the BJP. Dominance of independent candidates is common in eastern Rajasthan.”
Taking the same line, Pankaj Mehta, former PCC general secretary and in-charge of Jhalara
Congress in-charge for Jhalarapatan municipal elections
patan municipal polls, said, “Our party wants to ensure formation of its boards in more and more municipalities with the support of independents.”
The Congress has not fielded a single candidate in all 45 wards of Nokha municipality in Bikaner district due to internal politics. NCP has fielded candidates on all 45 wards.
The BJP has fielded candidates in 79 out of 185 wards in 5 municipal bodies in Hanumangarh district.