Congress apprehends malpractice during elections

Ahmedabad, June 21 (UNI) The Gujarat Congress, while expressing fears of possible malpractices during the forthcoming assembly elections, has said it will train youths to prevent bogus voting and booth capturing.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bharatsinh Solanki told reporters here today that the trained youths will be deployed at every booth.

Mr Solanki said the Congress will go to the electorate and highlight the achievements of the UPA Government.

He informed that the GPCC has requested Knowledge Commission chief Sam Pitroda to help in the preparation of their election manifesto. ''He has accepted our request,'' Mr Solanki said.

The GPCC chief urged the Election Commission to take every step towards ensuring fair elections and preventing bogus and proxy voting.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Assembly Arjun Modhwadia criticised Chief Minister Narendra Modi for calling only a two-day Monsoon session of the State Assembly. From Mr Modi's move it is apparent that he wishes to escape discussions on important issues, Mr Modhwadia alleged.

He said the state was facing numerous problems, including deteriorating law and order situation of rising cases of suicides, the power problems faced by farmers, ''corruption'' in the Sujalam Sufalam scheme, donation menace in schools and colleges, among others, and the Congress would like to take these issues up in the Monsoon session.

The Chief Minister, therefore, should have enough courage to extend the Monsoon session and provide satisfactory replies, Mr Modhwadia said.

UNI