Congres, Left submit memo to Governor on MC polls
Chandigarh, Aug 10 (UNI) The Punjab Congress along with the CPI and CPM earnestly today appealed to state Governor Gen (retd) S F Rodrigues to dismiss the SAD-BJP government for indulging in large scale rigging and intimidation of candidates and voters during the Municipal Corporation (MC) polls held in Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar on August eight.
In a joint memorandum submitted to the Governor here, the three parties also asked Gen Rodrigues to declare the MC polls null and void and order fresh elections. They also demanded the police and civil officers who assisted the ruling alliance in ''the unfair means'' should be reprimanded for their conduct.
The memorandum cast aspersions at the role of the government machinery, particularly the police during the polls. The conduct of State Election Commission had also been dubious, the memorandum stated.
The entire election process from day one had been conducted in a way to give the impression to the general public that the election was being contested by police, the memorandum claimed.
Congress candidates in many cases particularly in Patiala were made to withdraw with threats of implicating them in false cases, the memorandum alleged.
The Government machinery right from the State Election Commission to the presiding officers and returning officers were the tools of the government, memorandum said.
The joint memorandum was signed by Punjab Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, CPM secretary Balwant Singh and senior CPI leader Joginder Dayal.
UNI