The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, November 13, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Congress poll peaceful
Minor scuffles in Lucknow, Chennai
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — Except minor scuffles in Lucknow and Chennai, polling for electing the Congress President went of peacefully today with over 90 per cent polling at all places. Supporters of Mr Jitendra Prasada who is contesting against Mrs Sonia Gandhi, however, alleged malpractices at some places.

“Reports received here suggest that there has been no untoward incident anywhere. In Lucknow, some persons attempted to get into the PCC headquarters, but they were prevented by the police,” party Central Authority Chairman Ram Nivas Mirdha said.

Asked about his remarks that there had been shortcomings in the election process, Mr Mirdha said even during General Election where millions of people are involved, such things occurred.

He said some complaints had been received and these would be looked into once the election was over. Mr Mirdha clarified that the polling in Lucknow, where both Mrs Gandhi and Mr Prasada cast their vote, went off peacefully and the minor problem outside the PCC headquarters was tackled by the police.

In Delhi, 142 delegates cast their vote today, including 38 from other states who had sought CEA’s permission to do so. Three delegates, including Mr Harcharan Singh Josh, could not cast their vote due to pressing reasons, Congress officials said.

The polling agent for Mr Prasada in Delhi, Mr Harivansh Mishra, said he had recommended to his leader a repoll as the election was “rigged”.

He said the principle of secret vote had been grossly violated since some leaders, including Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, had displayed their marked ballot papers before putting these in the box.

Alleging that DPCC President Subash Chopra was seen seated with the returning officer, he said some leaders had gone to the booth with a large number of supporters. Mr Mishra alleged that he had brought his complaints to the notice of Mr Mirdha, but in vain.

Reports from Lucknow said the RAF swung into action when Congressmen, believed to be supporters of Mr Prasada, tried to enter the PCC office at Nehru Bhavan by breaking the security barricade.

While Mr Prasada questioned the credibility of the elections in which, he said, the CEA chairman had admitted to irregularities, Mrs Gandhi refuted allegations of unfair practices as “baseless”.

Speaking at Lucknow, she said the election process was a huge one involving millions of Congress workers and any discrepancies could be looked into later.

Reports from Chennai said two supporters of Mr Prasada were beaten up by supporters of Ms Gandhi. There were reports of cent per cent polling from several states.

Voting did not take place in Kerala and Assam where due to panchayat elections PCC elections were postponed. The counting will take place on November 15 and the results announced the same day.

Over 400 vote in Cong poll
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — Over 400 delegates of the Congress in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh cast their votes at their respective party headquarters to decide who should head the All-India Congress Committee for the next three years — Mrs Sonia Gandhi or Mr Jitendra Prasada.

The polling, which commenced at 10 a.m., was peaceful. The votes will be counted in Delhi.

In Haryana, before the polling commenced the first meeting of the newly constituted Pradesh Congress Committee was held under the presidentship of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The chairperson of the Pradesh Election Authority, Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder; and two members of the authority, Mrs Kartar Devi and Mr Bal Kavi Bairagi, MP, and a former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mr Shiv Charan Mathur, were also present at the meeting.

The meeting unanimously resolved to request Mrs Gandhi to nominate the office-bearers of the PCC and members of the AICC from the state. Homage was paid to Mr Sitaram Kesri, a former President of the AICC, and Mr Virender Singh Narnaund, a former Haryana Minister.

Out of 150 delegates of Haryana 141 cast their votes here. While eight delegates cast their votes outside the state, Mr Tejinder Pal Singh Maan, a former Haryana Minister, could not vote. Mr Anand Singh Dangi, Mr Rati Ram and Dr Kirpa Ram Punia voted in Delhi. Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala voted in Jammu. Mr Birender Singh, Mr Jai Prakash Barwala, Mr Dharamvir and Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, president of the Indian Youth Congress, cast their votes in Lucknow.

In Punjab over 230 delegates cast their votes. In Chandigarh 29 delegates exercised their right to franchise.

In a joint statement issued here today, the general secretary and the secretary of the Punjab Congress, Mr Nahar Singh Gill and Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, respectively, claimed that all delegates from the state had voted for Mrs Gandhi.

In Haryana the resolution to authorise Mrs Gandhi to nominate the office-bearers of the state Congress has generated a debate on who would head the party for the next three years. While supporters of Mr Hooda describe the resolution as a token of the party men’s confidence in Mrs Gandhi, who, they were sure, would not ignore the majority support enjoyed by Mr Hooda among the delegates, the Bhajan Lal camp, too, had its argument to be happy about it.

The Bhajan Lal camp said its leader had always been in favour of “unanimous” election of the party President. Since the state unit had now authorised Mrs Gandhi to nominate the office-bearers, the Bhajan Lal camp said, she would appoint a person acceptable to all factions as the next president of the Haryana Congress. However, a supporter of Mr Hooda described the hopes of the Bhajan Lal camp as wishful thinking.