The Election Commission dealt a serious blow to Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in their war of words today when visiting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) J M Lyngdoh said the conduct of free and fair polls may be more difficult in Chhattisgarh than was in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat. After meetings with returning officers and political parties, Lyngdoh said the government officials here were viewed to be more partisan and biased. ‘‘I was more confident about conduct of free and fair elections in Gujarat. Though not able to control riots, the administration there did well later. Here I am not terribly sanguine but less confident.’’ On his part, Jogi brushed aside the CEC’s remarks by saying ‘‘no one’’ should have any apprehension as the state government would ensure free and fair polls. ‘‘The Congress has a long tradition of not interfering with polls. Remember, even Indira Gandhi lost elections. We are totally committed to the principle of the Congress party,’’ Jogi said. ‘‘Besides, the party enjoys overwhelming public support and doesn’t need official machinery to win the polls.’’ The CEC held two rounds of meetings with Chief Secretary S.K. Mishra, asking him about complaints of violation of the model code of conduct, especially over distribution of school bags with Jogi’s picture, and use of government hoardings as posters for the Congress. Lyngdoh also summoned senior secretaries of two departments—Tribal Development and Information—responsible for the school bags and the hoardings. He admitted that there was distrust for the government machinery among political parties. ‘‘Only today we got a report about the CM’s closed-door meeting with the Collector and SP during his night halt at Bilaspur. This is being verified and suitable action will follow.’’ Besides the district collectors of Bastar and Jashpur who the EC ordered to be removed as returning officers, complaints have been received about the partisan conduct of officials in other areas. Lyngdoh was confident that the EC’s decision regarding Bastar and Jashpur collectors would be upheld by the high court. The CEC also took note of the BJP’s complaints about Congress ads being issued without printlines and of the Congress’s complaint that the BJP pamphlets carried pictures of Hindu gods and godesses, and ordered action. Recognising the threat posed by Naxalites in some areas, Lyngdoh said the state government should organise a helicopter to ferry polling parties to these places. He came down heavily on ministers using their official vehicles and asked the Chief Secretary to take steps to enforce the model code of conduct. Lyngdoh said the expenditure control would be enforced very strictly and if candidates move with long convoys, it would be taken note of. The CEC also received complaints about liquor being distributed as incentive and asked the government to stop this. Use of a state helicopter for election-related activities by the ruling party, disbursement of cooperative loans, sanction of new schemes and development projects, and ministers getting own staff deployed on poll duties were some of the other complaints received from parties.
