BJP accuses HP govt of malpractices in panchayat, local polls

The state unit of BJP today accused the Congress-led government of committing irregularities on a large scale to manipulate the ensuing Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies polls in order to benefit its party's candidates.
Threatening that BJP would move court on the issue, BJP leader and former state Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur alleged that the state government had no consistent policy or stand on the polls.
"It has gone back on its announcements regarding creating new Panchayats and providing reservations for ST, SC and women through a software developed for the purpose. This makes it obvious that the government is keen to manipulate the process through the manual exercise," he said.

Daring the Congress to contest the elections on party symbols, Thakur said the government's decision not to use party symbols indicates that itfears defeat and is looking for an escape route to claim victory by "horse-trading".
"Names of a large number of voters have been deleted, changing the demographic profile of wards. Also, the decision of the previous BJP government to hold direct elections for the posts of presidents and vice-presidents of Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats has been reversed," he alleged and added that these actions would encourage horse-trading and create political instability in local bodies and hamper development.

"BJP had submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding dismissal of the Virbhadra Singh-led government," he said adding that the party will not allow manipulation and would move the High Court at an appropriate time.