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Friday, May 20, 2005

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Protests outside Congress headquarters in Bhopal

Staff Correspondent

Trouble during organisational elections in Madhya Pradesh The present round of organisational elections is crucial since the election of the next State party president depends on the outcome of these elections.

BHOPAL: The venue of the Congress party's ongoing organisational elections in Madhya Pradesh witnessed a self-immolation attempt and a protest demonstration on Thursday. One person has been arrested.

The party's organisational elections in Madhya Pradesh were earlier postponed midway due to the Dandi March organised by the Congress party recently to commemorate the historic Dandi Yatra by Mahatma Gandhi.

The State returning officer for the elections, H. Hanumanthappa, had from the outset projected that the present round of organisational elections in Madhya Pradesh would go a long way in involving party workers from the booth level upwards in a genuine membership drive. Despite resistance from a cross-section of State party leaders, who were used to getting their supporters nominated to the party executive at various levels, Mr. Hanumanthappa had conveyed the message that a large part of his attention would be focused towards involving more party workers in the election process.

Today's demonstration outside the party headquarter is being described as the handiwork of a disgruntled State leader. An MPCC functionary said the immolation bid by one Ilyas Ismail, who heads one of the several public transport mini-bus operators' associations here, was part of a strategy to malign the election process as well as the image of some leaders.

The Additional State Returning officer for these elections, Nirmala Samant, said it remains to be seen whether any Congress member was behind the demonstration.

She said that facts were still being ascertained and stressed upon the need for discipline.

She further said that the entire election process was being conducted in the most dignified and orderly manner. Still if any one had any complaint, there was scope for appeal, she said adding any protest at this stage is uncalled for since the results for the block presidents have not yet been announced.

The projection by the election officials notwithstanding, there has been no dearth of charges and accusations within the party.

A cross-section of leaders has also cautioned against the possibility of nominations through the backdoor by encouraging block level elections through consensus. The present round of organisational elections is crucial since the election of the next State party president depends on the outcome of these elections.

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Protests outside Congress headquarters in Bhopal