Lucknow: Accusing Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Mayawati of attempting to bulldoze local bodies,
the Opposition parties on Wednesday alleged that the state government
was secretly effecting changes in their election process.
"The state government has issued a notification of a
draft of UP Municipalities (Election of Members, Corporators,
Chairmen and Mayors) Rules 2010, in which several undemocratic
proposals have been made," Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap
Singh said.
He said till now election of local bodies were held on
party lines.
"In the draft rule it has been proposed that the
elections to the post of members, corporators, chairman and
mayor of the municipalities should not be contested on party
lines," he said.
He alleged that the government was even ready with a
proposal to abolish system of direct election of mayors and
chairmen by the people.
The Congress spokesman alleged that as the BSP had no
base in local bodies, it was affecting changes in there
election process.
State BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi claimed that
suggestions were not invited from the political parties in
this regard.
"We have not received any notice so far and I guess
similar is the status of the other parties," he said.
"I would like to ask that what was the need of
carrying out the exercise secretly without consulting the
political parties," he questioned.
PTI
