The State Cabinet on Sunday approved the proposal of Urban Development department to go for party-less local bodies election. The election of Mayors and chairmen would also be on non-party basis.
The elections are due in November 2011.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mayawati in Lucknow on Friday gave its nod for the appropriate changes in local bodies regulations to hold the civic polls on non-party line. The Panchayat elections, going to be held in October this year will also be party-less.
There are 643 local bodies, which included 194 Nagar Palika Panchayats, 436 Nagar Panchayats and 13 Municipal Corporations with Mayoral post.
Since the move has already evoked sharp reaction from entire Opposition, the possibility of litigation in the case could not be ruled. The BSP too has been expecting the court battle on the issue.
“The Opposition will certainly go to the court”, said a BSP MP on the condition of anonymity.
The State president of Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav told newsmen that the decision would be legally examined. He indicated on moving the court against the decision.
{{/usCountry}}The State president of Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav told newsmen that the decision would be legally examined. He indicated on moving the court against the decision.
{{/usCountry}}Yadav said the BSP, which did not contest 2006 civic polls, was afraid of joining the fray on the party basis just few months before the state assembly elections in 2012.
The UPCC spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh termed the decision “unconstitutional”. He said option of moving the court was open.
“The BSP government is out to undermine democracy”, added BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi.
The BSP, which was busy in preparation of 2007 assembly elections, had stayed away from 2006 local bodies polls.
However now firmly entrenched in power, the BSP has been making hectic efforts to widen its base in urban areas. The party-less election could help the BSP in capturing the local bodies before the big electoral battle.
“Since we are not strong in urban areas, party-less poll would help us”, said the BSP MP.
How?
The ruling party is always in position to win over maximum number of independent candidates to its favour, as it happened in 2005 Panchayat election under Mulayam Singh Yadav regime.