According to the Congress, at least four of the 51 candidates contesting for the corporation elections in Junagadh on Sunday, were booked under Pasa and let off.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government may have cracked down on the hooch bootleggers in Ahmedabad following the massive death toll last week, but the party’s political association with anti-social elements continues in other parts of the state.
According to reliable Congress sources, at least four of the 51 candidates contesting for the corporation elections in Junagadh on Sunday, were booked under Pasa and let off. Congress has raised this as an issue in their election campaigning, which has surprisingly turned very competitive over the past week.
“Lalu Bachu contesting from ward no 16; Kishan Sodhva of ward no 10; Kanubhai Mori of ward no 17 are some of those prominent bootleggers in the region, who were previously booked under Pasa. They have acquired so much moolah through the illicit liquor trade that politicians and government machinery is at their disposal,” a senior Congress functionary from the region told DNA requesting anonymity. “Much violence was witnessed over the past week and more is anticipated to take place on Sunday when the polling will take place,” the source said.
Senior leaders of the Congress, GPCC president Siddharth Patel, leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil, Arjun Modhwadia and several other senior leaders have been camping there for over a week now. As for the BJP, Rajya Sabha MPs like Vijay Rupani, Jayanti Barot, BJP’s organisational secretary Bhikhu Dalsania and over 25 MLAs are camping in Junagadh to ensure victory for the party.
The BJP on its part is also not leaving any stone unturned. The BJP has zeroed in on retaining its power in the Junagadh municipality. “The leaders have done internal survey of the city assessing the possibility of party’s victory in the civic polls,” said a leader of BJP on condition of anonymity. “All MLAs of Junagadh constituency and others are taking a toll of situation and making observation at the micro-level,” he said.
The BJP is projecting its Rs500 crore Sorath development project during the poll campaign apart from achievements of the state government. The no-repeat theory has been adopted by changing most of the existing councillors. BJP MLA Mahendra Mashru, former MP Bhavna Chikhalia, renowned builder Nilesh Dhuleshia and Kalubhai Sukhwani of Mahasagar travels are in the fray for the civic polls. On the other side, the Congress has given tickets to five candidates who defected from the BJP recently.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}