BJP urges K J Rao state reason behind declining EC offer

Lucknow, Mar 4 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh BJP today urged Election Commission Advisor (Training and Election) K J Rao to come out with reasons for refusing the EC offer to monitor April/May assembly elections in four states and Pondicherry.

'' Mr Rao has been a symbol of fair and free face of the EC and his refusal smacked of undue pressure put on him by the UPA government at the Centre,'' state BJP president Keshari Nath Triapthi told reporters here.

His exit had to do with the coming assembly polls in West Bengal where the left parties had high stake, he said. ''It was beyond doubt that the left parties had pressurised the UPA, which, in turn, forced Rao to quit,'' he alleged.

Mr Rao, who had shown exemplary guts during the recent Bihar polls, should come out in public to state reasons behind his decision, Tripathi observed.

Mr Rao, whose tenure expired on February 28, had been offered a contract to work with the commission during the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Pondicherry.

Citing personal problems, the controversial official, however, declined the offer, commission sources said in New Delhi today.

Mr Rao recently visited West Bengal twice as one of EC observers, who had detected widespread irregularities and malpractices in the preparation of electoral rolls and distribution of voter I-cards.

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