Jaipur, Nov 12 (PTI) Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday alleged that the BJP was keeping its candidates in resorts and religious places outside the state to manipulate panchayat polls.
He also questioned the long gap between the voting, counting, and the election of zila pramukh and panchayat pradhan in the polls currently underway.
The first phase of polling for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members was held on October 23, while counting for all phases is scheduled for November 20.
The election of zila pramukhs is scheduled for November 25, followed by pradhans' on November 27 and up-pradhans' on November 28.
"Why has such a long gap been kept between voting, counting and the elections of zila pramukhs and pradhans? Such a long gap has never been seen before. What is the purpose behind it?" Gehlot asked.
The former Rajasthan chief minister alleged that the BJP was moving its zila parishad and panchayat samiti candidates out of their districts and has asked them to keep their phones switched off.
"In areas where polling was held in the first phase, candidates have been kept in camps for nearly a month," he alleged.
The Congress leader questioned why candidates were being kept away from their families even during Diwali.
"BJP should explain why it needed to hide its own candidates," he said, accusing the party of using money power to influence results as, he alleged, happened in the urban local body polls.
Gehlot said that he earlier urged the chief minister to prohibit such confinement of candidates, but no action was taken.
The opposition party leader urged the State Election Commission to monitor the situation and ensure that no pressure, inducements or use of money and muscle power influence the elections.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)