Voters ‘intimidated’ in Patiala
Monday, 11/06/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120611/punjab.htm#8
With the SAD-BJP alliance winning 39 seats in the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, the present House has regained its supremacy for the second consecutive time. The Congress managed to win just eight seats whereas two Independent candidates emerged victorious. Result from Ward No. 1 has been withheld following complaints of rigging. Though the Congress claimed that the results did not matter as Akalis resorted to unfair means, SAD-BJP leaders stated that their victory showed that people’s mandate was with them.
Heavyweight candidates of the SAD who emerged victorious include Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, Harinderpal Singh Tohra (former minister Harmail Singh Tohra’s son), Amarinder Singh Bajaj (Improvement Trust chairman Inder Mohan Singh Bajaj’s son) and Harpal Juneja. Anil Bajaj and Balwant Rai of the BJP won, but in a major upset, BJP district president Arun Gupta lost the elections.
Preneet holds protest, attacked
Stone-pelting, shootout, booth-capturing, assault on mediapersons and thrashing of voters- it was total “goondaraj” in the city today. Several Congress leaders, including Punjab Pradesh Congress (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh and his wife Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur were allegedly assaulted by Akali goons in separate incidents.
Akali supporters pelted stones on vehicles in Ward 1. Preneet Kaur, who went to several polling stations to lodge a protest against the “highhandedness” of Akali workers, was assaulted but escaped unhurt. Several Congress candidates and activists sustained injuries.
Some mediapersons were also attacked by Akali supporters. Immediately after polling began at 8 am, SAD-BJP leaders and their supporters not only thrashed Congress candidates and their supporters but also indulged in large-scale rigging.
The ruling alliance supporters “captured” all polling booths with the police reportedly facilitating their entry into polling stations. Undeterred by the presence of mediapersons, SAD-BJP leaders were seen snatching away “election slips” from voters and directing them to go back, saying: “You have exercised your right to franchise”.
Some policemen even warned mediapersons to keep away from polling booths or “face dire consequences”.
In several areas like Guru Nanak Enclave and Guru Nanak Nagar, hundreds of voters alleged that when they went to cast their vote, they were told that their vote did not exist.
Terming the election process as a mere “sham” and “rape of democracy”, Congress leaders said the civic poll in Patiala was nothing but a repeat of the 2007 elections “when the SAD-BJP swept the elections in a similar fashion by indulging in booth-capturing.”
Elections were held for 49 wards of the 50 wards with SAD’s Jaspal Pradhan from Ward 39 elected unopposed. The main wards that witnessed violence were Ward 1 from where Congress candidate Vikramjit Singh Chauhan and his father, former Senior Deputy Mayor Kabir Dass, were arrested. Subsequently, the booth was “captured” by Akali workers.
In Ward 27, from where Congress candidate Renu Nagpal is in the fray, a shootout was reported. Ward 32 ( the houses of Amarinder, Preneet and Congress MLA Brahm Mohindra fall in this ward) saw a minor scuffle.
In Ward 47, Congress candidate Rajni Sharma was assaulted by SAD-BJP activists. She was admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital. Independent candidate Balwinderjit Singh was attacked in Ward 4 and four EVMs were broken.
