The Hindu : National : “Neutral polls cannot be held under Chawla”

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Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009
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“Neutral polls cannot be held under Chawla”

Sujay Mehdudia

RANCHI (Jharkhand): Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha on Monday fired the first salvo against Chief Election Commissioner-designate Navin Chawla stating that “neutral” polls cannot be held under him as his political loyalty was with the Congress.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Sinha also charged Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibte Rizvi with acting on behalf of the Congress stating that large scale bungling had taken place in the first phase but no action was taken.

“The BJP is fully aware of the fact that under Mr. Chawla, free and fair elections will not be held as the Election Commission will not listen to our complaints and the BJP cadres should be vigilant and be prepared to deal with the new scenario,” Mr. Sinha said.

Deadly combination

He said the Jharkhand Governor in Ranchi and Mr. Chawla in Delhi were a deadly combination that would work for the Congress rather than for the democratic process. The BJP leader also took pot shots at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for being “weak and indecisive” and said Dr. Singh does not have the courage to face the electorate and come to Parliament elected so he had adopted the Rajya Sabha route for this purpose.

Mr. Sinha also charged Union Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad with crossing all limits of decency and indulging in abuses and mud slinging, taking the electoral debate to a new low.

“Frustrated”

“Mr. Prasad is frustrated and despondent and this is reflected in his actions and words. He will be completed wiped out in the Lok Sabha polls this time around in Bihar and Jharkhand,” he said .

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