BJP used administration: Ashok Gehlot claims horse-trading in Rajasthan Civic Polls

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday accused the BJP government in the state of using the police, administration and other government machinery to influence elections for heads of urban local bodies. He alleged that councillors were offered up to Rs 2 crore each to switch sides during the process of forming civic boards.

In a post on X, the senior Congress leader alleged that the BJP government had "crossed all limits of dishonesty and shamelessness" and violated democratic norms and established procedures in its bid to form boards in urban local bodies.

The BJP rejected similar allegations, with Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore earlier saying the party never misused power and that councillors are free to vote according to their choice.

Gehlot said, "The BJP government has openly looted democracy by deploying the government machinery, police and the entire administration." He claimed that bids of up to Rs 2 crore per councillor were made during the process of forming civic boards.

He also alleged that Congress councillors faced different forms of pressure, including notices declaring their houses illegal, sealing of their establishments, registration of cases and police notices summoning them for questioning.

He further alleged that police were sent to camps where councillors were staying and attempts were made to forcibly take them away. Referring to court proceedings linked to the civic elections late on Sunday, Gehlot said the Rajasthan High Court had to hear election-related petitions till midnight and issue directions in some matters.

He also alleged that police forces from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were used to influence elected councillors from Rajasthan.

Gehlot said incidents in Mathania, Paota, Tijara, Kuchera, Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar, Alwar and Nimbahera on the day of the civic chief elections reflected "unprecedented misuse" of the state machinery. He expressed concern that similar methods could be used in the forthcoming panchayat elections.

Targeting sections of the bureaucracy and police, he alleged that some officials seen as politically neutral had become part of the government's actions. "Officials who have taken an oath of the Constitution should consider whether they joined government service to become part of such acts," he said, adding that accountability should be fixed to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The row over the urban local body polls, meanwhile, saw Gehlot repeat his charges of pressure and misuse of machinery, while the BJP maintained that councillors were free to vote as they wished.