Karnataka   

Kidnapping charge mars polls to KGF CMC posts

KOLAR GOLD FIELDS: The election to the post of president and vice-president of Kolar Gold Fields City Municipal Council scheduled for Friday has been postponed. The alleged kidnapping of some women members by a rival camp led to protests by other political parties leading to the cancellation of poll process. The election will now be held on March 1.

High drama of alleged kidnapping, protests and lathi-charge marred the poll process. The election which was expected to end the uncertainty in the civic body was bogged down by the controversial developments.

Union Minister K.H. Muniyappa, who was widely believed to be here to exercise his franchise to bail out his party from any crisis, was conspicuous by his absence.

In the elections held last year for the KGF CMC, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) emerged victorious in eight seats each in the 35-member council. While the Republican Party of India won seven seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged four. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat and remaining seven seats were wrested by independents. In separate complaints lodged with the police, the parties alleged that Shakeela of the CPI (M) and Jayanthi and Kanthi of the Congress had been kidnapped reportedly by Janata Dal (Secular) councillor and former MLA M. Bhaktavatsalam

When polling process began, Mr. Bhaktavatsalam filed papers for the president’s post while Sangeetha of the BJP filed her nomination for the vice-president’s post. The Congress planned to field Rasheed Khan and Sigamani for the two posts. However, the Congress and CPI(M) protested and urged Assistant Commissioner and Returning Officer M.S. Archana to cancel the election as their members had been “kidnapped.”

When the returning officer cancelled the poll process announcing March 1 as next date, Janata Dal (Secular) members raised slogans against her. Supporters of the Janata Dal (Secular) resorted to road blockade at Surjmal Circle. The Janata Dal (Secular) has called for a bandh here on Saturday to protest against the “highhandedness” of the authorities.

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