SAD accuses Cong of misusing power

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19

Akali Dal senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday claimed that there were 85 incidents of booth capturing that had come to their notice, most of them in Malwa region.

Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed booths were captured in Lambi, with the police and local administration playing mute spectators. Akali leader and former MLA from Dakha alleged that 30 incidents of booth capturing were seen in villages covered in the Dakha assembly constituency alone.

Akali MLA NK Sharma from Dera Bassi alleged that the presiding officer was caught at Amlala village with a stack of votes, already stamped in favour of Congress candidates. Similar complaints were received from Bhabbal in Rajpura, Sherpur in Dhuri and many other places.

Cheema and Majithia also alleged Congress high handedness in the election process, by accusing the ruling party of getting the nomination papers of 249 of their candidates rejected “by fraudulent means”, and accused Congressmen of snatching away nomination papers of several candidates – mostly in Ferozepur, Moga and Bathinda – and they were not allowed to participate in the polls.

“Congress men resorted to bogus voting, large scale violence and threatening the presiding officers with their muscle power,” alleged Majithia.

Meanwhile, former CM Parkash Singh Badal, who visited polling booths in his Lambi constituency, alleged that a large number of Congress workers, brandishing swords, were involved in booth capturing, while the police remained mute spectators.