Cong defacing public property: BJP

PANAJI, Feb 4: With the date for elections drawing near, the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission have got parties busy trying to...

PANAJI, Feb 4: With the date for elections drawing near, the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission have got parties busy trying to catch opponents on the wrong foot.

In a series of complaints filed before the Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party has charged the Congress Government with misuse of power for not taking action against partymen who defaced property by pasting posters along roadsides.

The BJP charged the Congress of being guilty of violating the Goa Defacement of Property Act for defacing public property with Sonia Gandhi’s posters during her recent visit to the State. It said that instead of taking action under the Act, a case was filed against “unknown persons”.

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Union Minister of State for Law and justice Ramakant Khalap has also been accused of using media advertisements at the cost of Mapusa Cooperative Bank of which he is the chairman.

Despite enhanced expenditure limits, austerity measures have put a hold on the campaigns of all key contestants. Except theUnited Goans Democratic Party, which does not seem starved of funds, electioneering of all other parties is still a low key affair. The BJP has demanded appointment of a competent authority to probe the expenditure of UGDP campaigns.

Due to strict enforcement of anti-defacement laws, contestants are seen to be at great disadvantage in their campaigning effort since painting of slogans and posters on the walls of public buildings is the cheapest mode of publicity for them. As the visible manifestations of the elections are missing in towns and villages, it is hard to believe that an election is about to take place.

Independent contestants have also made themselves scarce this time probably dismayed by the fact that the quantum of security deposit has been raised to Rs 10,000.

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The election to Goa’s two Lok Sabha seats will involve fwo former chief ministers, two former ministers and one Union minister. One interesting feature of the poll arena in north Goa is that all the four main rivals in fray opposingMaharashtrawadi Gomantak Party nominee and Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Mr Ramakant Khalap are former MGP politicians who have changed their parties more than once. Facing Khalap in North Goa is Congress candidate and former chief minister Ravi Naik, the BJP has fielded ex-minister Pandurang Raut and UGDP candidate is ex-MLA Babusao Gaonkar. Opposing south Goa MP and former chief minister Churchill Alemao is a ex-Congress Minister. While Sonia Gandhi has already made a trip to Goa, BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee is expected to be in Goa in the next few days.