Sonia seeks report on Rajasthan civic bodies row

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has sought a report on the controversy over the Rajasthan government allowing those not elected in civic polls to head civic bodies in the state.

According to sources, Gandhi has asked the AICC in-charge of the state Avinash Pande to submit a report on the row, after state Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot questioned the decision of his own government.

The sources said Pande rushed back to Delhi this morning after yesterday's polling in Maharashtra, where he was in-charge of the election control room, and is likely to submit a report on the issue.

Taking a stand that appeared to go against the view of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Pilot made it clear he was not consulted on the decision that was notified on Wednesday.

Two other ministers in the Congress-run state have separately opposed the move that allows people who are not elected councillors to contest for posts like mayors and chairpersons of corporations and municipalities.

The non-councillor candidates still have to be elected by councillors to the top posts.

"This is not a good decision and I do not agree with this. The decision is not practical and not politically right and there is a need to make changes to the decision," Pilot told reporters.

"We decided to hold indirect election for the posts of mayor and chairperson. This was fine. But suddenly a new decision appeared that I came to know from newspapers. This was not discussed in the cabinet or the legislative party meeting," he said.

Pilot, who is the Rajasthan Congress president, claimed that the new system, which is being called a hybrid, will allow people to become urban body heads through the back door.

He said democracy is not strengthened if a candidate who could not win a councillors election is allowed to contest for the mayor's post.