Govt intimidating Opposition candidates from filing papers, says Pargat

AICC secretary and Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh has condemned the Aam Aadmi Party’s approach in the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections. He accused the government of misusing police and district administration officials to threaten and prevent Opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers.

He urged the Election Commission to issue directions to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, and to prevent the misuse of government machinery.

Pargat stated, "AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia had advocated the use of any means necessary to gain power and the state government was now implementing that strategy in the ongoing local body elections".

The government, he said, is employing every possible tactic to secure victory and willing to go to any extent. Opposition candidates are being intimidated through police officials and threatened over the phone. Furthermore, he alleged that the government has secretly directed all Deputy Commissioners to reject Opposition candidates' nomination papers on a large scale.

He pointed out that Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal had also held a protest in Tarn Taran against the government’s high-handedness, while former Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur staged a similar protest in Patiala.

Singh further alleged that the government is even using gangsters to instill fear among candidates, calling it a grave assault on democracy. In several parts of Punjab, he added, Opposition candidates are being obstructed from filing nominations by various means.

Pargat asked the Election Commission to ensure complete videography of the entire election process, including not only the filing of nomination papers, but also the polling phase to guarantee transparency. He also called on the Election Commission to instruct Deputy Commissioners and Returning Officers not to arbitrarily or illegally reject nomination papers submitted by Opposition candidates.