In a press conference held on February 18 at a hotel in Sakchi, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand BJP state president cum Rajya Sabha MP Aditya Sahu strongly attacked the state government. He alleged that the government did not intend to conduct municipal body, city council and nagar panchayat elections from the beginning and the elections were deliberately postponed for the last three years. He said that BJP workers forced the government to bow down by agitating and demonstrating in 48 municipal bodies of the state. The government is holding elections under pressure, but its intentions are not clear.
Government is running away from party basis and EVM- Aditya Sahu
The state president alleged that in 2018, elections were held on party basis and using EVMs, but this time the government is afraid of defeat. The government knows that there has been no development in cities and villages in six years. Therefore, they are running away from conducting elections on party basis and EVMs. Holding elections again on ballot paper after 26 years is like taking democracy backward.
Election conspiracy with the help of criminals- Aditya Sahu
Aditya Sahu made serious allegations and said that the government wants to influence the elections with the help of goons and criminals. BJP had demanded the Election Commission to deploy central force and install CCTV cameras at every booth, but the government is avoiding this too.
Aditya Sahu alleged that BJP candidate Vijay Singh Gagrai in Chakradharpur has been openly threatened with death. An attempt is being made to scare by pasting posters. Women are also being threatened to stop them from election campaigning. A parallel government of criminals is running in Jharkhand.
Government silent on threat to Kadiya Munda – Aditya Sahu
The BJP President also raised the issue of threats received by senior tribal leader and former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Kadiya Munda. Said that a senior leader who was an 8-time MP and a prominent face of the Jharkhand movement is being threatened over phone and the government is silent. After all, who is safe in this state?
Aditya Sahu claimed that due to the agitation and pressure of BJP, the administration had to become active in the kidnapping case of Kairav Gandhi, son of an industrialist in Jamshedpur. If BJP workers had not taken to the streets, the recovery would not have taken place. Referring to Dhurva and other kidnapping cases, he said that hundreds of children are still missing in the state.
Giving a strong message to the administration, he said that governments come and go, but officials are not permanent. Administration should not become a toolkit, elections should be conducted in a fair manner. Officials showing bias will be taken to court.
Claim of victory on 48 seats
State President Aditya Sahu claimed that BJP-NDA supported candidates will win 48 seats and this election will prove to be a mandate against the “anti-youth, anti-women, anti-businessmen and anti-tribal” government of Jharkhand. In the end he said that this election is not just for the municipal body, it is a fight to save democracy. The public will give a befitting reply to this autocratic and inflexible government.
Input By : Neeraj Tiwari