As Jharkhand gears up for urban local body elections on February 23, BJP state president Aditya Sahu launched a scathing attack on the government, alleging designs to subvert democracy via state apparatus control. In his address at the Ranchi party office Saturday, he pressed the State Election Commission for strict monitoring.
Delayed by judicial interventions and sustained BJP campaigns, the elections covering 48 municipalities represent a critical democratic milestone. Sahu stressed the imperative of intimidation-free voting, tasking poll officials and cops with delivering impartiality.
He spotlighted contentious decisions like shunning EVMs for ballots and sidelining central forces, breeding distrust. Despite BJP’s advocacy and documented concerns over volatile polling sites, remedial measures lag.
Public pulse checks reveal deep-seated frustration with governance, transforming ostensibly independent civic polls into partisan battlegrounds. ‘The populace seeks accountability through ballots,’ Sahu proclaimed.
He called for robust voter participation and police probity. Beyond local stakes, results may ripple into broader electoral calculus, marking a pivotal juncture for Jharkhand politics.