The Hindu : Victory was snatched from us, says Jogi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 07, 2003

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Other States - Chattisgarh

Victory was snatched from us, says Jogi

By Aarti Dhar

BJP activists burning an effigy of the Bihar Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, during a demonstration in Patna on Saturday to protest the suspension of the DGP, D.P. Ojha, at right addressing a press conference in his office. — Photos: PTI, Ranjeet Kumar

RAIPUR Dec. 6. The acting Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi, today raised doubts over the conduct of free and fair elections in the State's naxalite-affected areas. Accusing the Central Reserve Police Force personnel of "indulging in bogus voting" in these tribal areas, he said the presence of the Minister of State for Home, Swami Chinmayanand, in Bastar strengthened his belief that the security forces had followed his orders. The Congress has lost 20 reserved tribal seats in the Assembly polls.

Mr. Jogi raised doubts about the removal of the Collectors and Superintendents of Police of the tribal districts by the Election Commission. The Congress candidates who lost from these segments would now file an election petition in the High Court.

Mr. Jogi said that since this time the threat perception was high as the naxalites had given a call for boycott, his party expected nil voting at many centres whereas heavy polling has been reported.

Referring to Dantewada, where the Congress won all the three seats, Mr. Jogi said that polling was free and fair since the Collector and the SP were not changed.

"We have not lost but victory was snatched from us," he said. "What has happened is a dangerous sign for democracy and the institution of election."

When it was pointed out that observers and polling agents of all parties were present at the centres, Mr. Jogi said they had been unable to reach the polling centres. On being told that there was photographic evidence to show that voters had come out in large numbers in the tribal districts, he said polling indeed was heavy in the towns.

Manoj Mandavi, the Congress candidate who lost from Bhanupratapur, alleged that the so-called "naxalite attacks" on candidates and polling parties were in fact carried out by the Central security forces.

Earlier in the day, the Nationalist Congress Party chief, V.C. Shukla, disagreed with Mr. Jogi's allegation that the Congress had lost in the naxalite-dominated districts. "The Jogi Government was always on the defensive on the naxalite issue and never came out with a strong policy," he said.

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Victory was snatched from us, says Jogi