Himachal BJP Chief Accuses Government of Election Manipulation
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Shimla, April 9 (NationPress) Rajeev Bindal, the President of the Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), launched a fierce critique on Thursday, claiming that the state government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is actively plotting to undermine the Panchayati Raj and municipal corporation elections through a strategic scheme.
He asserted that the Congress administration initially attempted to delay the elections for a duration of two years, even taking the issue to the Supreme Court.
"Following the Honorable Supreme Court's explicit directive to conduct elections before May 31, the state government has now resorted to a new tactic of manipulation," Bindal stated in a released comment.
He accused the government of altering the reservation roster for the first time in Himachal Pradesh's history, likening it to a "juggler's trick".
"This process does not resemble an electoral procedure but embodies the Congress' suitability agenda, where the roster is being determined based on convenience rather than established regulations," he added.
The former State Minister remarked that this entire operation is in violation of the Panchayati Raj Act and Article 243D of the Constitution, which mandates that reservations and rosters be established transparently through a defined process, rather than being frequently altered to suit electoral needs.
Bindal claimed that government officials are acting under the influence of Congress leaders and the state authority, resulting in confusion and unrest among villagers.
"This is not democracy; it is coercion, where regulations are disregarded to maintain power," he declared.
He observed that countless youths, women, and individuals from various societal sectors, eager to participate in the Panchayats, are feeling disheartened and frustrated due to the ever-changing roster.
"The Congress party clearly recognizes that the public intends to expel them from power, prompting them to attempt to usurp the electoral process itself," he stated.
The State BJP Chief cautioned that the party will not permit this anti-democratic scheme to succeed at any cost and will persist in revealing the state government’s actions from the streets to the courts.