Ashok Gehlot Accuses BJP of Misusing Power in Local Body Elections

Jaipur, September 26: Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has leveled serious allegations against the BJP government following the completion of local body elections in Rajasthan. In a post on the social media platform X, Gehlot claimed that the ruling BJP allegedly misused police, administration, and financial power during the elections. He also questioned the delimitation process, alleging arbitrary changes in ward boundaries to benefit the BJP.

Gehlot congratulated the newly elected councilors, mayors, chairpersons, deputy mayors, and deputy chairpersons, expressing hope that both sides would work together to address urban issues. However, he noted a lack of enthusiasm among the public for the new local body leaders, which is typically seen during such elections, attributing this to alleged irregularities in the election process.

Gehlot Claims Mandate Disrespected

Gehlot stated that when a new mayor or chairperson is elected in a city, there is usually excitement among the residents. However, this time, he observed a lack of such enthusiasm. He attributed this to the disrespect shown towards the mandate, claiming that the public perceives that the BJP has installed mayors and chairpersons in several local bodies through financial influence. These allegations have not been independently verified.

Questions Raised on Delimitation

The former Chief Minister criticized the delimitation process conducted before the elections. He alleged that three to four wards supported by Congress were merged into one, while BJP-supporting areas had one ward split into two or three parts. Gehlot also claimed that discrepancies in delimitation resulted in family members, including husbands and wives living in the same house, being assigned to different wards.

Election Statistics

According to the final results from the State Election Commission, a total of 10,244 wards across 309 local bodies received 10,682,784 votes. The BJP secured 35.21% of the votes, while Congress received 34.30%. The difference in vote percentage between the two parties was just 0.92%, equating to 98,002 votes. Despite this, the BJP outperformed Congress by 563 seats in the wards.

“Elections Held After Court Intervention”

Gehlot alleged that the local body elections were delayed for a long time after delimitation and were only conducted following court intervention. He also accused the government of misusing police and administrative resources during the elections, a claim echoed by Congress leaders during the election process.

“Unprecedented Misuse of Power”

Gehlot stated that, in his view, this was the first time since independence that such a level of power and financial influence was used in Rajasthan’s local body elections. He expressed concern about the implications for voters, especially first-time young voters, emphasizing the need to maintain their trust in the democratic process and ensure fair elections.

Congratulating Winning Congress Representatives

The former Chief Minister congratulated the Congress candidates who won in the local body elections, stating that they earned the public’s trust by contesting against the ruling power. He thanked Congress workers and voters, urging the organization to prepare robustly for the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections. He also acknowledged the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

BJP Responds to Allegations

The BJP has dismissed Gehlot’s allegations regarding the misuse of government machinery during the elections. In a prior response, BJP leaders stated that Congress was ignoring political events from its own tenure while accusing the current government. They also countered by alleging that Congress misused power during its time in office.

Thus, even after the completion of local body elections, political accusations continue to fly between the BJP and Congress regarding the electoral process and the formation of boards in Rajasthan.

Author Profile

Kuldeep Singh Chundawat: My name is Kuldeep Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.