leveling allegations that the state government had not helped in conducting fair elections in Bastar lok Sabha constituency and was also reluctant in the safe return of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), a delegation of State Congress party met with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil Kujur on Saturday and asked him to take necessary steps in this connection.
The delegation led by media cell in-charge of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CGPCC) Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, Mayor Kiran Mayee Nayak, Faizal Rizwi and others alleged that sensing the victory of the Congress party in the elections the BJP government was adopting such tactics.
They said that killing of government officials and police personnel in such a large number during election is really very depressing. The BJP was not at all taking seriously the biggest festival of democracy, they charged.
They further alleged that baffled over disappointment in the last assembly election due to free and fair voting in Bastar this time the state government has left polling parties at the mercy of the Maoists. Recalling the arrests of Maoist courier in the vehicle of BJP MP Sohan Potai, the Congressmen said that the nexus of the BJP and the Maoists is no longer a secret.
In the memorandum submitted to the CEO, the Congress leaders maintained that after election on April 10 the polling parties should have returned to the respective district headquarters by April 11. However, after passing of more than 40 hours several polling parties have not returned.
At several places Naxal incidents were reported around polling booths. In such circumstances, the CEO should ensure safer return of the polling parties and the EVMs, they said.