The Congress has accused the ruling BJP in Rajasthan of influencing the nomination process for the upcoming urban local body elections, alleging that its candidates were prevented from filing their nominations before the deadline.
The deadline for filing nominations ended at 3 pm on Monday.
Rajasthan Assembly Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully alleged that BJP candidates were allowed to submit party symbol authorisations at several places even after the deadline.
“Not accepting the forms of Congress candidates who reached with party symbols before the stipulated time is murder of democracy,” Jully said.
He alleged irregularities in Bhilwara, Alwar, Baseri and Mathania and urged the State Election Commission to take immediate cognisance of the matter.
Jully claimed that Congress candidates in Bhilwara were not allowed to submit their nomination forms and symbol authorisations despite reaching the venue before the deadline. He also alleged that rules were violated in Alwar and that BJP candidates’ forms were accepted in Baseri after 3 pm.
“These incidents raise serious questions over the impartiality of the election process. This double standard in election rules under pressure from those in power is an attack on democracy,” he said.
Jully accused the BJP of attempting to “steal” the elections and said the Congress would challenge any irregularities before every constitutional forum.
His allegations came as former Congress MLA Divya Maderna staged a protest outside the returning officer’s office in Mathania in Jodhpur district over alleged discrimination during the nomination process.
Maderna began the protest on Monday and remained outside the official’s office through the night. She alleged that the local MLA and a BJP candidate were allowed to enter the RO’s office after the 3 pm deadline.
According to Maderna, the local police station officer received the MLA at the gate and escorted him inside, while a Congress candidate who was already inside was forced out.
“How can the same rule be different for two people?” she asked.
She questioned how the MLA and his supporters were allowed inside if entry was prohibited after 3 pm and also asked who had ordered the police to remove the Congress candidate.
Maderna said the issue was not limited to one Congress candidate and questioned the fairness of the entire electoral process.
AICC general secretary and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot made similar allegations while speaking to reporters in Barmer. Pilot alleged that BJP candidates in several places, including Jodhpur and Alwar, submitted their party symbol authorisations after the deadline.
“How is it justified to accept the symbols of BJP candidates after the deadline? All this is recorded. Despite this, the State Election Commission is doing nothing,” he said.
Pilot also accused the State Election Commission of working under pressure from the government.
Asked about factionalism within the Congress, Pilot said the BJP was facing internal differences.
“There is factionalism in the BJP. Two candidates are reaching the same ward carrying the party symbol,” he said.
Pilot claimed that voters had assessed the BJP government's performance over the past two-and-a-half years and expressed hope that the Congress would form boards in the urban local bodies.
Elections are being held for 10,245 councillor posts across 309 urban local bodies, comprising 10 municipal corporations, 51 municipal councils and 248 municipalities.
Polling will be held in two phases on September 9 and 11, with counting scheduled for September 14. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until September 3.
The heads of urban local bodies will be elected on September 21, while general meetings of municipal corporations, municipal councils and municipalities will be held on September 22. Elections for deputy mayors, deputy chairpersons and municipal vice-presidents will be held during these meetings.
Around 1.44 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the civic polls. A total of 16,465 polling centres will be set up across the urban local bodies.
(With inputs from PTI)
