The stage is set for a showdown between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party with voting for the election of chairpersons of zila panchayats in 53 districts scheduled on Saturday and counting of votes to start around 3 pm.
The State Election Commission has already announced the results in 22 districts where 21 BJP candidates have been declared elected unopposed as zila panchayat chairpersons while one Samajwadi Party candidate has been elected unopposed in Etawah.
In all 53 districts, the BJP and the SP are locked in a direct contest. Bahujan Samaj Party had also contested the panchayat elections. On June 28, BSP chief Mayawati had announced that her party would not contest the elections of chairpersons of district panchayats. Congress had also claimed that its candidates were elected as members of district panchayat but the grand old party only has the status of ‘also ran’.
The BJP is set to gain big in the elections for zila panchayat chairpersons to be held on July 3. The party was relegated to the third position in panchayat elections in the state that concluded on April 29. The BJP rejected the charges of SP, saying that the opposition was making false claims. The SP had alleged that the BJP misused official machinery and its candidates were prevented from filing their nomination papers and those who filed papers were being threatened.
In Baghpat, Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate Mamata withdrew her nomination and when the authorities made a formal announcement, it was claimed that the real Mamata was in Rajasthan and an impostor was produced to withdraw the nomination papers. The RLD is contesting the zila panchayat polls in alliance with the SP.
As per claims by different parties, of the total 3,050 members of district panchayat in 75 districts, the BJP won 580, SP 837, BSP 378 and Congress 69 while 1,186 independents scraped through. The BSP members are expected to vote for the BJP candidates as their prime objective is to defeat the SP candidates. Sources in the BJP said that their target was to win the election in at least 65 of the total 75 districts and it had already won in 21 districts, hence it needs to win in 44 more districts.
Meanwhile, a SP delegation met the state election commissioner and alleged that district magistrates and district police chiefs were harassing and threatening the party’s elected members.
The delegation led by SP MLA Udaivir Singh said that the party demanded from the SEC to ensure free and fair polling and prevent the ruling BJP from rigging the process. The delegation also included 17 members of district panchayat of Kannauj who alleged that their family members were being harassed by the police. Kannauj has 28 members in the district panchayat