Cong poll process hits a roadblock

The delay in the list of poll officials, say CEA sources, is due to rampant infighting in the state units and attempts by one faction to oust the other by manipulating the appointment of poll officials.

In UP, for example, such was the controversy over the initial list of poll officials that it had to be scrapped by the CEA chairman because of its one-sided nature. The new list, however, appears stuck since various factions are pulling out all stops to get their men in. Same is the case in Punjab where the list of poll officials ran into rough weather because the election in-charge Sultan Singh didn8217;t consult state leaders while finalising it.

A section of the party, however, believes that the dilly-dallying in announcing the polls officials is part of a 8220;grand design8221; by party chief Sonia Gandhi8217;s loyalists to ensure there is no contest for the party president8217;s post. As evidence, they point to how the entire schedule has gone off-track but no fresh dates, except for the Congress president8217;s elections, have been announced.

As per the existing schedule, the list of PCC delegates all over the country was to have been finalised by September 22 but almost three weeks later there is little sign of the list being made official in any of the states.

The PCC delegates elect the Congress president and one view in party circles is that the delay in finalising their list is to ensure they are announced just before the party president8217;s election. This will leave little or no time for filing appeals against their election and also ensure that Sonia8217;s rivals, if any, don8217;t get much time to canvass for their support.

The notification for party president8217;s election is to be issued on October 25 and the last date for filing nominations is October 28. Elections, if necessary, would take place on November 11 and the result would formally beannounced on November 15.

Party circles are also suspicious of a new rule by which the list of PCC delegates will be declared in a centralised manner by the election in-charge of the state and not by individual District Returning Officers DROs who conduct their elections. This rule, they assert, allows greater room for manipulation and makes a mockery of the election process.

8220;The ad hoc manner in which the elections are being conducted is strange considering the fact that we have a full-fledged election authority in place for the first time8230;it is indication enough of backroom manipulation,8221; said a senior party MP.