BJP asks EC to jail candidates with criminal backgrounds

Lucknow, Apr 20 (UNI) The BJP today demanded that the Election Commission (EC) jail candidates, contesting the Uttar Pradesh assemply polls with a criminal background, in another state ''to protect democracy''.

Talking to reporters here, BJP vice-president and former union minister Yashwant Sinha said several candidates with a criminal background were campaigning for the ruling Samajwadi Party. ''In a bid to protect the right of the voters to cast ballots without fear, the EC should sent such elememts to jail, preferrably Tihar jail in Delhi so that they cannot interfere,'' he said.

The BJP leader was reacting to a news report that dacoit Dadua's brother Bal Kumar, contesting from the Patti seat, had threatened police officials in Pratapgarh of ''killing countless number of people'' if they did not register a case against supporters of the BJP candidate.

''There are others like Raghuraj Pratap Singh (state minister and Independent candidate) and Mukhtar Ansari (another Independent) who are terrorising voters in their areas,'' he said. Mr Sinha claimed that controversial SP MP from Allahabad Atiq Ahmed was also pressurising voters in favour of the ruling party.

He also charged the Mulayam Singh Yadav government with not taking action against criminals for political mileage. ''The voters have now realised that by voting SP to power, they would in fact bring back mafia raj...the SP is set to suffer huge losses this elections,'' he claimed.

UNI