Panchayat elections: Congress protests govt ‘high-handedness’ in Dera Bassi, traffic hit on highway

Hundreds of Congress workers and candidates of the panchayat elections staged a protest outside the BDPO office in Dera Bassi on Monday, highlighting the “high-handed” attitude of the AAP government in the nomination process.

As a result, many commuters, travelling on the national highway near the office, had to endure a massive traffic jam. On Sunday, farmers, who were protesting over delay in the procurement of paddy, had blocked a road in Lalru that had led to traffic congestion in Dera Bassi.

No election official is picking up our calls these days. The BDPO in Dera Bassi has resorted to ‘gundagardi’. He has become a blind follower of Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa. Deepinder Dhillon, Dera Bassi Congress in-charge

Raising slogans against BDPO, ROs, AROs and administration officials, Dera Bassi Congress in-charge Deepinder Dhillon alleged that the administration officials were working hand in glove with the ruling party.

“No election official is picking up our calls these days. The block-level officers have bowed to the ruling party. The BDPO in Dera Bassi has resorted to ‘gundagardi’. He has become a blind follower of Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa. Once, the Congress party comes to power, we will expose him,” said Dhillon.

Former Zirakpur MC president Udayvir Singh Dhillon said the AAP had rejected the forms of the candidates, who had lost by just two votes last time. However, those supported by the AAP were being given free run. “This did not happen even under Shiromani Akali Dal’s regime,” he said. Later, the Congress leaders handed over a memorandum to the Tehsildar.