Punjab poll: BJP's nominee selection via 'secret ballot' ends in chaos

Tribune News Service

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, January 12

Amid the allegation of rigging, chaos was witnessed during the BJP’s first meeting for selection of candidates for the Assembly elections held through secret ballot papers at Jalandhar.

To start the process for selection of candidates, the BJP had called a meeting of its mandal-level office-bearers in Jalandhar.

The party divided all 117 constituencies into 13 Lok Sabha seats and booked 13 marriage palaces in advance to ensure a smooth voting process.

Sources said a mandal president, general secretary, morcha office-bearers, state-level leader, ex-MLA, ex-council president and a member of a civic body living in that particular constituency were given a ballot paper each, asking to mention their preference of candidates in order of merit.

However, the allegations of fake votes marred the process. At some places, supporters of aspiring candidates clashed. Sources said in one of the constituencies in Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, where former Cabinet Minister Manoranjan Kalia was the incharge, the total number of votes were 15, but when the observers opened the ballot box, they were shocked to find 25 votes polled. Following that there were allegations of fake voting.

Similar allegations were levelled at several other constituencies also. Kalia did not respond to calls or messages. All attempts to contact state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma also remained futile. Apart from the voting by office-bearers, the party will conduct interview of aspirants and a ground survey to make the final selection of candidates.

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