The Hindu : Both Cong. and BJP claim they will win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 12, 2002

National

National

Both Cong. and BJP claim they will win

By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD Dec. 11. With both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress expressing the confidence of winning the elections to the Gujarat Assembly, about 3.28 crore voters will cast their votes in the crucial battle of ballots under a thick blanket of security tomorrow.

With the elections threatening to turn violent — at least three incidents of skirmishes between the workers of the two major parties were reported today — the authorities have strengthened police deployment to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election.

According to the Gujarat Home Secretary, K. Nityanandam, 352 companies of para-military and other forces are being deployed to assist the local police in maintaining law and order tomorrow.

This includes 159 companies of the Central Reserve Police, three companies of the Rapid Action Force, 56 companies of the Border Security Force, 10 companies each of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Central Industrial Security Force, 15 companies of the Special Security police, 40 companies of the Railway Protection Force, 59 companies of the State Reserve Police, and 23 companies of the border wing Home Guards. In addition, 62 companies of police from other States have also been requisitioned.

At least three incidents of alleged attacks on the Congressmen by the BJP workers, including one involving the Madhya Pradesh Minister, Bala Bachhan — whose relative is contesting on the Congress ticket from Limdi reserved constituency in Dahod district — were brought to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer, Gurcharan Singh. The party also demanded the transfer of a police officer from Ahmedabad, who, it alleged, openly "canvassed for the BJP and terrorised the Congress supporters."

Police said a group of people attacked a house in Kerak village in Limdi where the Congress workers were holding a meeting. The attackers allegedly opened fire and Mr. Bachhan's security guards retaliated. However, the Congress, in its complaint, alleged that the attackers were supporters of the BJP candidate and said that the Minister would have been killed if his gunmen had not acted. In another incident, the Congress workers in Jetpur-Pavi constituency of Vadodara district were attacked by eight BJP supporters. Some Congress workers also claimed to have been injured in an attack by the BJP workers in Halol in the Panchamahals district. Citing the incidents, the AICC secretary, Kamal Nath, said that the BJP was taking recourse to violence "out of frustration." It was terrorising the people to prevent them from coming out to vote tomorrow, he alleged.

Contradicting the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi's claim that the victory of the Congress would mean a "victory for Pakistan," Mr. Nath said that it was the BJP which provided a pro-Pakistan administration. "Pakistan is always scared of the strong government of the Congress,'' he said.

The BJP national general secretary, Arun Jaitley, said the Gujarat elections would be a "test case.'' The outcome would indicate whether the people viewed terrorism as a major issue. He, however, rejected the suggestion that the BJP's defeat could mean the end of the Hindutva card.

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