 "Parrikar colluded with EC to advance polls: Narvekar")
Former Goa law minister Dayanand Narvekar today alleged that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar "colluded" with state election commission officers to advance Lok Sabha elections to "deprive" BJP rivals of time needed for campaigning.
"Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in connivance with the local Election Commission of India officers, who are the state government servants, managed to prepone the polls," Narvekar said, addressing a press conference here.
The election to North Goa and South Goa seats were held on April 12 instead of scheduled date of April 17 on account of Maundy Thursday (a religious day for Catholics).
The former law minister, who contested from North Goa constituency as an Independent, said he could get hardly nine days to campaign after issuance of the symbol to cover his entire constituency.
"My constituency has 20 Assembly segments. I could not campaign in all of them," he said, adding the BJP candidates did not face any difficulties due to the revised schedule because they already had an election symbol.
"This move (to prepone elections) was aimed at curtailing the time available for canvassing for rival candidates and the excuse of Maundy Thursday was a lame one because even the Goa Church did not protest the earlier decision of EC to hold elections on that day (April 17)," he added.
"Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in connivance with the local Election Commission of India officers, who are the state government servants, managed to prepone the polls," Narvekar said, addressing a press conference here.
The election to North Goa and South Goa seats were held on April 12 instead of scheduled date of April 17 on account of Maundy Thursday (a religious day for Catholics).
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"The state Chief Electoral Officer Keshav Chandra and Joint Chief Electoral Officer Narayan Navti were responsible for sending a letter to the ECI on making a case for preponment of elections," Narvekar said.
The former law minister, who contested from North Goa constituency as an Independent, said he could get hardly nine days to campaign after issuance of the symbol to cover his entire constituency.
"My constituency has 20 Assembly segments. I could not campaign in all of them," he said, adding the BJP candidates did not face any difficulties due to the revised schedule because they already had an election symbol.
"This move (to prepone elections) was aimed at curtailing the time available for canvassing for rival candidates and the excuse of Maundy Thursday was a lame one because even the Goa Church did not protest the earlier decision of EC to hold elections on that day (April 17)," he added.
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