Lyngdoh Lashes For Congress

Not that the Chief Election Commissioner needed to give any proof of his political non-partisanship, buthis lashing out at the Congress government in Chhattisgarh couldn't have come at a more appropriate time, inthe face of all the controversies surrounding the chief minister Ajit Jogi's administration.

Chhattisgarh becomes the second Congress-ruled state, after Digvijay Singh’s government in Madhya Pradesh,to have been taken to task over irregularities in poll arrangements.

"I was more confident in Gujarat in spite of everything because they (the state administration) wereineffective in controlling the riot but, thereafter, they were very professional. But I am not so sure aboutthis administration," Lyngdoh said in Chattisgarh today.

At the end of a day-long visit by the three-member Central Election Commission, Lyngdoh issued a sternwarning to the state administration. He said he had received several complaints of violation of model code ofconduct directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to ensure that it be obeyed: "I asked the ChiefSecretary to ensure that the model code of conduct shall be obeyed and people at the highest level will beheld responsible if it is not obeyed."

For the Congress, the CEC's remarks couldn't have been more ill-timed, though. The party has been chargedby the entire opposition for its brazen violation of the model code of conduct, and the CEC remarks comparingGujarat babudom more favourably than that of Chhatisgarh puts it in a bind as it can hardly accuse Mr Lyndgoh- repeatedly singled out and mocked by Narendra Modi - of acting in a partisan manner. 

Earlier in the day, addressing a meeting of district collectors, SPs and IGs, the CEC said Chhattisgarhofficials "are working more with a partisan and biased attitude".

"I wonder why we are talking here because it appears we do not have any common ground", Lyngdohreportedly told the meeting held to review arrangements for the December one polls to the 90-member stateassembly. "Even in Gujarat, officials were more impartial but here it seems the state officials are morepartisan and biased", he told the meeting.

The CEC said the Commission has received complaints against three major political parties that they aredistributing liquor whereas in another case votes are being asked in conjunction with picture of gods andgoddesses.

He said that there was distrust for the Government machinery among political parties. "Only today wegot a report about the CM's closed-door meeting with the Collector and SP during his night halt at Bilaspur.This is being verified and suitable action will follow."

He did not refer to the chief minister Ajit Jogi's meeting with him in New Delhi two days back, but toldreporters that one party came to the EC and said they should not take action without taking a report from it.

"But we do not talk to political parties to verify a complaint. We have our own machineries and alsowe talk to the Chief Secretary and the DGP and get verifications from them," he said.

Besides the district collectors of Bastar and Jashpur who the EC ordered to be removed as returningofficers, complaints have been received about the partisan conduct of officials in other areas.

Lyngdoh was confident that the EC's decision regarding Bastar and Jashpur collectors would be upheld by thehigh court.

Lyngdoh said he had received complaints that ministers are touring officially which they cannot do as perthe code of conduct and they are using official vehicles and are met by collectors and SPs wherever they aregoing and using government accommodation. Even the state plane is being used for election purposes and newprojects are being sanctioned by the state government and the prospective candidates are using more than threevehicles for rally as per the complaints, he said.

Lyngdoh also summoned senior secretaries of two departments -- Tribal Development and Information --responsible for the school bags and the hoardings.

The CEC also took note of the BJP's complaints about Congress ads being issued without printlines and of theCongress's complaint that the BJP pamphlets carried pictures of Hindu gods and godesses, and ordered action.

There are objectionable advertisements in newspapers, he said, for which the people can be prosecuted asthe recent advertisements by Congress did not carry, in the print line, the name of the publisher which isillegal and some of such clippings were shown to them, the CEC said.

Recognising the threat posed by Naxalites in some areas, Lyngdoh said the state government should organise ahelicopter to ferry polling parties to these places.

Lyngdoh said the expenditure control would be enforced very strictly and if candidates move with long convoys,it would be taken note of.

Lyngdoh said there was apprehension that departmental employees would be used for political purposes by theministers and therefore there has been direction that they be kept away from their minister's constituencieson poll duty.

On complaints from the opposition, Lyngdoh also directed that no minister's staff or employees of hisdepartment should be put on poll duty in the constituency of the minister.

(With agency reports)