THE HUGE gap between the grand total of polled counted votes and the election result for mayoral post in Gorakhpur municipal corporation has brought the district administration and the ruling Samajwadi Party on a collision course.
Adopting a confrontational posture, hundreds of SP leaders reached the ADM administration Narsingh Narain Lal’s official residence and demanded to handover the official copy of the election result to the candidates.
Later they staged a symbolic dharna, which was continuing till filing of this report. However, the district officials were yet to issue the details of election results to the candidates.
State Minister Jaiprakash Yadav accused the district administration of hatching a conspiracy to ensure the defeat of SP candidate for mayoral post Sitaram Jaiswal.
He said the dubious role of district magistrate Dr Hariom, divisional commissioner Dr Moolchand and SSP Raja Srivastav had been exposed in counting of votes and they should be punished for it.
He said the issue would be raised with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
It is to be noted that around 33000 votes were missing.
According to the administration, total number of votes polled were 2.74 lakh while the counted votes were only 2.34 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}According to the administration, total number of votes polled were 2.74 lakh while the counted votes were only 2.34 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}Six thousand votes were invalid. The difference between the grand total of polled votes and counted votes has put the administration in a tight spot.
In bid to bridge up the gap between the two figures, the administration distributed the remaining votes among all the candidates and issued a fresh result.
According to the second result, the lead of winning candidate and BJP leader Anju Chaudhary and defeated candidate and SP leaders Sitaram Jaiswal had increased from 53122 upto 59160.
In the first result declared by the administration, Anju Chaudhary had got 119023 votes while in the second result her total votes were 133391.
The announcement of two results and dilly dallying tactics adopted by the administration in issuing officials papers of the result have raised question over the impartially of the administration.
It has also caused serious resentment among SP leaders.
SP’s mayoral candidate Sitaram Jaiswal demanded a copy of the official result.
He blamed the district magistrate for shifting his responsibility to the ADM Administration who was reported to be in hospital.
When SP workers reached the hospital they were informed that the ADM was in his office. He could not be traced.
Later SP leaders contacted him on phone and reached his official residence
but to no avail. Jaiswal said SP leaders wanted recounting of votes and had faxed the demand to the State Election Commission.
Director of Cooperative Bank Manoranjan Yadav, district unit president of SP Chandrabali Yadav, city unit president Zia-ul-Islam, traders’ community leader Pramod Tekdiwal and others accused the administration of conniving with communal forces.
They hinted that SP could move court for relief.