Not only the election processes but also the truth of their results becomes an issue of debate in Uttarakhand. In the recently concluded PACS voting while BJP claims that it won majority of seats, Congress rejects the claim saying it won more than 40 per cent seats.
One of the members of the committee formed by BJP to oversee the cooperative election of Uttarakhand, Dan Singh Rawat claimed that nearly 600 PACCS of Uttarakhand have come under the control of BJP.
“Out of 759 PACS, the elections were held in 699 societies where BJP has come out victorious. BJP will continue its winning spree in the upcoming elections of 10 DCCBs and 13 Apex body cooperatives of the state as well”, said Rawat who is also the chairman of Uttarakhand State Cooperative Bank to this correspondent on the phone.
Readers would recall that the election for the Board of Directors of PACCS was held on 22nd July whereas the election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman was held on 23 July.
But senior cooperative leaders of Uttarakhand associated with Congress have leveled charges against the BJP government asserting the BJP government is dishing out a tissue of lies.
One of the cooperators Dr K S Rana Chairman of Dehradun District Cooperative Bank said, “BJP leaders have misused their power and breached the law. Not only that, in several parts of Uttarakhand BJP leaders had gone to the
extent of getting rivals’ nomination papers cancelled fearing they would lose the elections”, he said.
Rana claimed that as congress won more than 40-50 percent seats of PACCS, desperate BJP cooperators began threatening election officers.
When this correspondent raised these allegations before Dan Singh Rawat who happens to be a close aide of the state cooperative minister he said, “I strongly deny charges leveled against BJP and in any case these baseless allegations have no importance. If we are telling lies then I am sending you the list of PACS where BJP contestants have won hands down”.
As per the list, “There are 112 societies in Pithoragarh and elections were held in 73 societies out of which 70 societies have elected the BJP. In Champawat, there are 23 societies out of which elections were held in 22 societies out of which 21 societies have voted BJP to power.
Similarly, in Bageshwar there are 18 societies out of which 16 societies’ have voted BJP to office. The same story is repeated in Almora where out of 78 societies 48 societies have elected BJP.
In Nainital there are 52 societies and elections were held in 51 societies. Out of 51 societies, 40 societies have voted for BJP. In Udhamsingh Nagar there are 34 societies and elections were held in 28 societies. Out of 28, 27 societies have been won by BJP.
10 District Cooperative Banks and 13 State level apex cooperative federations will go to the polls in the next phase.
