The aspirants for indirect elections for the coveted posts of district panchayat presidents and block pramukhs in Haridwar are facing hard time to keep their flocks together as the elections for these posts would be held in the month of April.
The term of present panchayat bodies is ending in May while the results of the direct elections for three-tier panchayat election were declared in the first week of January.
The long drawn out process of the election is nightmarish for the aspirants of panchayat bodies as they have to spend much time, energy and most importantly money to ensure that their supporters are not poached by opponents. One such candidate bracing himself for the post of Block Pramukh from Bhagwanpur said, “It was very difficult to manage things for about four months, the election commission should not have kept such a long time interval between these elections.’’
When contacted State election Commissioner Subardhan said that elections for the posts of President district panchayat and block Pramukhs would be held in the month of March or April.
He said that the term of earlier panchayat bodies is ending in May. On the question as to why the direct elections of three tier Panchayati Raj bodies in Haridwar were held before schedule, Subardhan said that the commission held the elections in December- January in view of Ardh Kumbh which would last till April.
The political observers are of the opinion that the protracted elections could prove beneficial to the ruling Congress which according to them can maneuver things to its advantage due to benefits it enjoy from being in power.
Eyebrows were raised from various quarters when the district administration appointed armed guards to protect the independent candidates most importantly against their (independents) wishes. It is learnt that these policemen are actually informers which are being placed to keep an eye on the activities of the independents and the deals they are striking.
In the election for prestigious position of President district Panchayat in Hardiwar it is the independents who hold all the aces with strength of 17. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with 16 members and Congress with 11 candidates are fighting it out to ensure victory for their candidate with support of independents.
The State president of BSP, Satish Kumar, however, sounded confident on the chances of party in the election for district president. He said that the party has support of enough candidates to sail its candidate through.
The BSP is claiming that at present it has support of 10 independents as they are former members of the party. The BSP has not made any formal declaration for its candidate for the District President post but it is most likely that whosoever former MlA Mohammad Shehzad chooses would be party’s candidate.