Explain rationale behind CEC action against officials: Congress

Panaji, May 25 (UNI) The Congress today sought to know the ''rationale'' behind a series of actions by the Election Commission of India (ECI) against officials for allegedly violating the code of conduct for the June 2 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly.

''We are not at all interested in X, Y or Z. But somebody in the commission has to explain to us the rationale behind the transfers,'' AICC general secretaries Shantaram Naik and Siddharth Patel told mediapersons here today.

A party delegation, led by AICC general secretary incharge of Goa desk Ms Margret Alva, would call on the CEC Gopalaswami tomorrow to seek an explanation behind the transfers.

The party was piqued recently after a senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ujjwal Mishra, and a Deputy Police Superintendent of Margao were relieving from the election duties, while a Superintendent of Police (North Goa) and a Police Inspector (Old Goa) were suspended on thecharge of dereliction of duties.

The Congress alleged that the CEC did it at the instance of the BJP, as it coincided with the visit of senior BJP leader L K Advani to Goa to kick-start the election campaign recently.

Both Mr Naik and Mr Patel demanded action against theUGDP candidates Babush Monserrate and his wife Jennifer for allegedly bribing the electorate with money bags and purchasing EPI cards in Santa Cruz and Taleigao constituencies.

It might be recalled that Mr Babush, a former minister in the Rane government, and the party member and north Goa ZP chairperson Jennifer resigned from the party and filed their nominations on the UGDP ticket.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway to receive the party chief Sonia Gandhi, who will address the rally in the city tomorrow.

UNI