Congress Launches Internal Investigation into Allegations of Cross-Voting in Rajasthan Local Elections

Jaipur, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : The Congress party has begun an internal investigation into allegations of cross-voting and organizational shortcomings during recent urban local body elections in Rajasthan. To assess the party’s defeats in various municipalities, a nine-member committee has been formed.

Dr. C.P. Joshi, former Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly, will chair this committee. It will examine the reasons behind the party’s losses, allegations of cross-voting, and issues related to poor floor management.

The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within seven days. The members include Ramsingh Kaswan, Murarilal Meena, Kuldeep Indora, Pramod Jain Bhaya, Shakuntala Rawat, Hakim Ali, Ganesh Ghogra, and Raghuveer Singh Rathore.

The state Congress committee has gathered reports from various districts regarding councilors accused of voting against the party’s official candidates during mayoral and chairperson elections. Sources indicate that disciplinary action is being prepared against those found responsible for cross-voting. Reports suggest that the number of Congress councilors under investigation could reach into the hundreds, although the final count will depend on the investigation’s findings.

The controversy intensified as Congress candidates lost elections despite having a significant number of councilors in several local bodies. For instance, in Bikaner, Congress had 41 councilors compared to the BJP’s 27, yet the BJP candidate won the deputy mayor election by a narrow margin of 40-38, raising suspicions of cross-voting and prompting calls for an inquiry.

The Congress leadership is also scrutinizing the party’s performance in municipalities such as Ajmer, Kota, and Pali. Previously, the party had requested reports regarding accusations against councilors who allegedly influenced or voted against the party’s candidates during the formation of civic bodies. Additionally, the party faced criticism over how it managed its councilors during this process.

The investigation committee will look into the reasons behind these defeats and the roles of party leaders and councilors involved.

Another point of contention within the Rajasthan Congress is the Bhilwara controversy, where 17 Congress candidates could not contest elections under the party’s symbol due to delays in submitting necessary authority letters. This issue has sparked significant internal conflict within the local Congress organization, escalating to the national leadership level.

Recently, the Rajasthan High Court dismissed petitions from the affected candidates, leaving only 53 authorized candidates in the fray. Congress leaders in Bhilwara continue to question accountability for this incident.

A recent protest by PCC member Manoj Paliwal outside the district Congress office has reignited discussions on this matter. Questions have also been raised regarding the roles of senior local leaders Dheeraj Gurjar and Ramlal Jat.

Furthermore, Congress has alleged that its councilors faced pressure during post-election processes, with attempts made to influence their votes through inducements. Following these claims, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra has called for an investigation by the state election commission into the allegations involving local administration and police.