PANJIM: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has leveled serious allegations against the office of Chief Electoral Officer for overlooking gross violations by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
GPCC President Girish Chodankar has warned the BJP to not influence the remaining postal ballot voters or pressurise government officials/bureaucrats to add votes in their kitty.
“The party behaves as if the Election Commission is in their pocket. Transfer orders in the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim are being issued despite the Code of Conduct still in force,” he alleged while addressing a press conference in the Congress headquarters, here, on Saturday.
Chodankar has warned the bureaucrats and officials to not take orders from the concerned minister or any politicians as a new government will be formed only after the counting of votes on March 10.
He also condemned the pressure tactics by the minister and demanded from the CEO strict action against the violators.
In another alleged violation of the election code, Chodankar exposed on how the Goa Police was also on its way to please the BJP. The department, he alleged, has sent out a wireless message asking the concerned to submit list of personnel who haven’t voted.
“Names of those who didn’t cast their vote, their constituency and phone numbers are being sought. How can such violations be overlooked by the CEO. We want strict action in this matter as well even if it is the Chief Minister and senior police officers involved in influencing voters,” the GPCC President demanded. He further accused Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Ministers Mauvin Godinho and Vishwajit Rane and their “cronies” of trying to “poach” non-BJP candidates during this silent period.
“I am taking their names on record on the public platform. Each one of them is approaching the candidates claiming they will be the next Chief Minister. Our party karyakartas and the people of Goa will not keep quiet,” he said demanding action from the CEO. With no action taken against the hoarding of the BJP, Chodankar accused the CEO of biased attitude towards the party.
