E-Paper
Voters cut criminals to size
THE ELECTORATE gave a befitting reply to the candidates with criminal background in the recently concluded Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) election. It so happened as only six history-sheeters and jailed criminals, out of 47 who were in the fray, managed to ensure their way into the VNN. The election results have shown a sense of maturity by the electorate who gave a befitting reply to elements with criminal antecedents.
THE ELECTORATE gave a befitting reply to the candidates with criminal background in the recently concluded Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) election. It so happened as only six history-sheeters and jailed criminals, out of 47 who were in the fray, managed to ensure their way into the VNN.
The election results have shown a sense of maturity by the electorate who gave a befitting reply to elements with criminal antecedents. Around 47 candidates with criminal backgrounds including 22 history-sheeters contested the civic body election for the post of corporator from different wards.
Several candidates with criminal background, vying for the post of corporator were totally rejected by the electorate.
This time, the number of candidates with criminal background who won the election for the post of corporator is much less in comparison to the last election. It may be mentioned that more than a dozen of candidates with criminal background had been elected as corporators in the VNN election in the year 2000. Out of these, four were killed in shootout incidents.
It may be mentioned that jailed mafia don Ramesh Yadav alias Babu Yadav contested election for the post of corporator in Baghara ward and managed to win the seat. However, the Congress candidate from the same ward also secured around 600 votes.
Besides, five others with criminal backgrounds managed to win the seats of corporator in different wards of VNN.
Samajwadi Party candidate Rakesh Lambu was elected as corporator from Jolha ward whereas Vijay Jaiswal (SP candidate) won the seat from Rajabazar ward.
Similarly, BJP candidate Viju Mishra won the seat from Habibpura ward whereas another BJP candidate Sanjay Singh won the seat from Sarai Goverdhan ward.
One, Rajesh Yadav also won the seat of Nai Basti ward as an independent candidate.
