SP rubbishes rigging allegations

IN REACTION to allegations of rigging and booth capturing in the ongoing civic poll, the Samajwadi Party (SP) today accused the opposition of ?using? the Raj Bhawan to target the State Election Commission (SEC), which has been doing a commendable job in conducting free and fair election.

IN REACTION to allegations of rigging and booth capturing in the ongoing civic poll, the Samajwadi Party (SP) today accused the opposition of ‘using’ the Raj Bhawan to target the State Election Commission (SEC), which has been doing a commendable job in conducting free and fair election.

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Talking to the mediapersons, State general secretary of SP and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav asserted that both the Nagar Nigam and the Nagar Palika Parishad polls were held in a fair manner. He, however, added that few stray incidents of violence were reported from various parts of the State.

“The Vidhan Sabha election will be a repeat of the urban local bodies poll. The SP will again form the next government,” he affirmed. 

He said that voters had supported SP candidates and the party would gain majority in the nagar palika parishad, the nagar nigam and the nagar panchayat posts. He said that fear of defeat in the civic poll had turned the rival political parties into a frustrated lot.

He claimed that the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party would be routed in the civic poll. He said, “Since these parties are left with no other issue, they have started targeting the State Government as well as the SEC.”

He said the State Government had followed all directives of the State Election Commission and ensured that poll was peaceful and fair. The State Government had directed the district magistrates and superintendents of police to take action against persons indulging in rigging and violence during the poll. He claimed that the police had even beaten up and taken SP workers into custody.
On the issue of printing of duplicate ballot papers, Yadav said it was for the SEC to inquire and take appropriate action against the culprits. He said that the State Government had not obliged the SEC for any favour as alleged by rival political parties.

To recall, leaders of the BJP and the Congress had slammed the SEC on Wednesday. They alleged that large-scale irregularities were committed during the poll. The BJP leaders had said that SEC was an agent of the SP and remained a mute spectator to rigging. Moreover, the Congress had demanded imposition of President’s rule before Vidhan Sabha poll.

Reacting to the statement of the opposition party leaders, Shivpal said imposition of President’s rule was their old demand. He said that corruption was rampant in the State when the BJP and the Congress were in power.