GUWAHATI: Even as chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mooted the idea of a “party-less” municipal election and urged political parties to nominate “good people” without any party tag, it would not be possible to implement the plan soon as the ruling BJP and opposition Congress have not come to a consensus.
State BJP chief Bhabesh Kalita said in the next month’s municipal polls, BJP will field its own candidates. “Party-less election means candidates will have to contest without party symbols. Unless our rival parties endorse the idea of ’party-less’ local body election, BJP alone cannot contest the elections on this idea,” Kalita told TOI on Saturday.
He said it is impossible to replicate the concept at the municipal election slated for March 6, as the saffron party is finalizing the process of issuing tickets. “We welcome the chief minister’the ideathough we have already come a long way and BJP workers are ready to contest the municipal elections,” he added.
Kalita said “party-less” local body elections in future will be helpful for all. “Decentralization of power and local self-governance can be strengthened with more people’s participation if elections become party-less. Participation of people will increase further and we will see more good people heading the local bodies,” Kalita said.
He added that if political parties do not come to a consensus on the matter, the government won’t be able to compel the parties to face “party-less” local body polls in panchayats or urban local bodies.
While the panchayat election in Assam is being planned by the state election commission in December next year, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation is likely to be held soon.
Assam PCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah is critical of the chief minister’s idea of “selecting good people” in local elections. “First, the chief minister should define who are good people. The BJP offered tickets to candidates who are facing various charges. Also, Congress candidates in many panchayats were forced to join the BJP because of threats in the last few months,” said Borah.
CM Sarma, while addressing the party workers in a meeting here on Saturday, said though the municipal election could not be made “party-less”, he insisted on fielding “good people”. “Good people are those who have the will and desire to work for society. They may be litterateurs, professors, rickshaw-pullers, cart-pullers or farmers,” Sarma said.
State BJP chief Bhabesh Kalita said in the next month’s municipal polls, BJP will field its own candidates. “Party-less election means candidates will have to contest without party symbols. Unless our rival parties endorse the idea of ’party-less’ local body election, BJP alone cannot contest the elections on this idea,” Kalita told TOI on Saturday.
He said it is impossible to replicate the concept at the municipal election slated for March 6, as the saffron party is finalizing the process of issuing tickets. “We welcome the chief minister’the ideathough we have already come a long way and BJP workers are ready to contest the municipal elections,” he added.
Kalita said “party-less” local body elections in future will be helpful for all. “Decentralization of power and local self-governance can be strengthened with more people’s participation if elections become party-less. Participation of people will increase further and we will see more good people heading the local bodies,” Kalita said.
He added that if political parties do not come to a consensus on the matter, the government won’t be able to compel the parties to face “party-less” local body polls in panchayats or urban local bodies.
While the panchayat election in Assam is being planned by the state election commission in December next year, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation is likely to be held soon.
Assam PCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah is critical of the chief minister’s idea of “selecting good people” in local elections. “First, the chief minister should define who are good people. The BJP offered tickets to candidates who are facing various charges. Also, Congress candidates in many panchayats were forced to join the BJP because of threats in the last few months,” said Borah.
CM Sarma, while addressing the party workers in a meeting here on Saturday, said though the municipal election could not be made “party-less”, he insisted on fielding “good people”. “Good people are those who have the will and desire to work for society. They may be litterateurs, professors, rickshaw-pullers, cart-pullers or farmers,” Sarma said.
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