BJP fumes at state EC notices

BY A STAFF REPORTER
PANJIM: Has the state Election Commission (EC) committed 'Harakiri'? Either way, the BJP -- at the receiving end of the EC stick -- is far from amused. On the contrary, the party has tried to cane the EC by throwing the rule book at it.
In an interesting duel, the EC has accused the BJP of violating the Model Code of Conduct, and the the BJP has retaliated by denying this charge and seeking to know under what provisions of the Model Code of Conduct has the EC asked the party to submit a 'Detailed Explanation'.

On March 15, opposition leader and state BJP supremo Manohar Parrikar addressed a press conference. He accused Congress of blackmailing the NCP and MGP to support its government. Having declared both its candidates way ahead, the opposition leader perhaps sought to raise the electoral tempo much in advance. On March 19, Former North Goa Collector GP Naik slapped the BJP with its first notice, seeking explanation, after having accused the party of violating the model code of conduct.

Two notices followed on March 23 and another two on March 24. On March 23, South Goa Collector Mihir Vardhan accused the BJP of violating the model of conduct -- based on a newspaper report announcing the BJP successfully conducted an eye camp on March 12. It appeared in a Marathi newspaper on March 22. On the same day, in North Goa, the Deputy Collector, SDO and ARO, Panjim slapped a notice asking it to explain Parrikar's statement at a press conference which read thus: 'BJP will scrap casinos if elected to power.'

On the very next day, on March 24, the EC dispatched two more notices. This time, it wanted the BJP to explain the statements of its state office bearers -- party spokesperson Govind Parvatkar and general secretary (organisation) Prof Subhash Salkar. While Parvatkar accused the Congress of violating the model code of conduct in connection with a display of hoardings, Salkar castigated GPCC general secretary Vishnu Surya Wagh. EC accused the BJP of violating the model code of conduct.

In all its replies, the BJP has denied any violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Identical letters sent by the party in reply to the EC notices explicitly stress on this while demanding to know under what provisions of the Model Code of Conduct has the EC asked the BJP to submit a detailed explanation. "We called on the state Election Commissioner. He expressed surprise and directed us to the Collector. After calling on the Collector, he promised to inquire into the notices sent by Deputy Collector," informed BJP general secretary (organisation) Prof Subhash Salkar.