Former CM Ashok Gehlot has accused the BJP of murdering democracy in urban local body elections by using money power to form boards despite lacking a majority.
Gehlot said that an 'equal level playing field' is essential for free and fair elections. However, in Rajasthan, one-sided police action is being carried out instead.
He alleged that councillors are being intimidated and threatened. Ministers have been deployed to offer massive inducements of ₹1.5 crore, ₹2 crore, and even ₹2.5 crore to councillors.
The former Chief Minister stated that the BJP has no shortage of money in the country. He said the spectacle of using money power to topple elected governments has now reached districts and blocks.
Gehlot described this as following the principle of 'Jaisa desh vaisa bhesh'. He also strongly criticized the misuse of government machinery and arbitrary delimitation.
He noted that despite the CM's roadshows and monitoring by BJP's National General Secretary, 64% of votes were cast against the BJP. He called the Prime Minister's congratulations unfortunate.
Citing election data, Gehlot pointed out that the BJP failed to secure a majority in the home regions of several senior leaders. These areas include:
Gehlot stated that the overall vote share gap between BJP and Congress across Rajasthan was merely 0.94%. BJP received 35.19% while Congress got 34.25%.
However, the seat gap widened to 5.5%. He cited Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, where Congress received 14,282 more votes than BJP, yet both parties won 44 seats each.
He alleged that in Jodhpur's Ward No. 99, four Congress-supporting wards were merged into one, while BJP-supporting areas were divided into multiple wards.
Presenting the analysis, Gehlot said that out of 10,244 total wards, the BJP lost in 6,065 wards (59%).
Out of 309 urban local bodies, the BJP failed to secure a clear majority in 223 (72%). Out of 10 municipal corporations, BJP could secure a majority in only 4:
Ashok Gehlot said that instead of accepting defeat, an IAS officer from the CMO is directly pressuring Collectors and SDMs.
He claimed reports of intimidation from Jhunjhunu, Neemrana, Tonk, Jodhpur, Kotputli-Behror, Sikar, Dholpur, Jalore, Ajmer, and Bundi.
Gehlot cited the case of councillor Vikram Choudhary from Khairthal, alleging he was persuaded to switch sides and inducted into BJP in Delhi by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav.
He concluded that by offering ₹2 crore, BJP is setting a new record in corruption. Those spending crores to become Chairpersons will focus on recovering money rather than service.
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Pradeep Budawat
