Urging the State Election Commission to deploy central forces for peaceful conduct of Panchayat elections, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday maintained that if not, free and fair elections were not possible under given circumstances.
Citing incidents of murder of Youth Congress leader Sukhraj Singh in Patti, and murderous attack on Congress MlA Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi in Ferozepur, Bajwa said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was using Punjab Police to terrorize Congress workers.
He maintained that threats were being issued to Congress candidates to withdraw from contest. Notwithstanding, the Congress would face boldly the ‘political terrorism’ spread by SAD-BJP government.
“After announcement of Panchayat elections, the police asked the Congress workers to deposit their arms whereas arms of Akali workers have not been deposited. In Taran Taran district alone, out of 12,000 firearms, 6,000 are deposited with the police. SAD supporters are moving freely with firearms and posing serious threat to peace,” claimed Bajwa.
760 candidates in fray for ZP polls, 30 elected unopposed
Chandigarh: In the run up of Zila Parishad and Panchayat elections scheduled for May 19, the papers of 6775 candidates have been found correct after the scrutiny with 259 candidates elected unopposed. Now, 6546 candidates have remained in the fray.
State Election Commission official spokesperson said that 1,321 candidates had filed nomination papers for the election of 331 zones of 22 Zila Parishad. During scrutiny, 127 papers have been rejected, whereas 404 candidates withdrawn their papers on the last day fixed for the withdrawal of nomination papers. For Zila Parishad elections, now only 760 candidates remained in the fray as 30 candidates have been elected unopposed.
5786 candidates remain in contest for Pachayat Samiti elections, 229 elected unopposed. SEC spokesperson said that for Pachayat Samiti elections, papers of 351 candidates have been found incomplete out of the total 10085 candidates.
As many as 3719 candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers, and 229 have been elected unopposed. Now, 5786 candidates, out of 10085, have remained in the fray for the election of 146 Panchayat Samitis. “Election Symbols have also been allotted to the candidates” spokesperson added.
BJP inducts 5 district presidents
Chandigarh: In a bid to strengthen its party at district level, Punjab BJP on Friday announced the induction of five district presidents to its ranks.
In a statement issued by state BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh, state party president Kamal Sharma has announced the induction of Parminder Goyal from Bathinda (urban), Sanjeev Bharadwaj from Nawanshahar, Anil Bajaj from Patiala (urban), Sita Ram Sharma from Fazilka and Deepak Sharma from Jalandhar (rural) (South). Besides, Sharma has also appointed 22 election in-charges for the Zila Parishad, Block Samiti, and Panchayat polls, who would look after the party affairs in districts.