BJP to challenge EC decision on model code

LUCKNOW: Irked by the Election Commission''s silence, the BJP on Thursday decided to challenge the Commission''s decision to allow the Mulayam government removal and nomination of 2,251 members to different local bodies.
BJP state president Vinay Katiyar said that the party was seeking legal opinion to file a case after failing to get a relief from the Commission on the issue of illegal removal and nomination of Samajwadi Party men as members of Nagar Panchayats, Nagar Palikas and Nagar Nigams.
"The chief electoral officer''s statement is against the Commission''s ruling. We have already faxed a memorandum to the Commission and now we are seeking legal opinion to file a case to get justice," he said.
The BJP has also directed its district units to send details about the removal and nomination in their areas. "We are collecting data to draft the petition and challenge the Commission''s decision," he said.
A high-level delegation of the BJP will also call on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) JM Lyngdoh in this connection shortly.
On the BJP MLCs seeking tickets from the Samajwadi Party, Katiyar said that they were those being denied tickets this time. "The party has decided to deny tickets to those who had raised a banner of revolt against the state leadership last year. They are free to join any party," he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP released its first list of candidates for 36 council seats for which elections are scheduled to be held on December 1, 2003.
The party announced 24 candidates in the first list while denying tickets to Bharat Tripathi (Sitapur), Chandra Pal Singh (Moradabad-Bijnore) and Sudama Singh (Ballia). They are replaced with Shivendra Singh alias Kakku, Pradeep Chaudhury and Bhrama Shanker Singh.
The party has, however, retained other candidates on the seats it had won last time, including Varanasi where Udainath Singh alias Chulbul Singh is being repeated. Ironically, Jagdeesh Singh against whom was issued disciplinary action notice, managed to retain the ticket following pressure from a central leader.
The party has yet to announce names of candidates on crucial Lucknow-Unnao seat represented by Ajit Singh and Mathura-Etah-Mainpuri on which Awadh Pal Singh Yadav was elected last time. Both had joined the bandwagon of rebels during October 2002 rebellion.