Ahmedabad:

Even as Congress has lost several district and taluka panchayats to BJP during the election of president-vice president for these local bodies today, Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani has blamed it on alleged ‘horse-trading and threats’ by the ruling party and said that all members of the party who have voted against the mandate in the local bodies elections where his party has lost have been suspended from the membership.

Dhanani claimed that BJP has used money and muscle power for horse-trading to make Congress members switch loyalties. Many of them were also threatened.

Talking over phone he said that all the Congress members in the local bodies who have disobeyed mandate in election where the party has lost have been suspended from the party.

He also said that still of the 23 district panchayats congress has retained 18.

Notably the election held every 2.5 years for change of guard in the local bodies whose main term lasts for 5 years is taking place in 31 district and 200 taluka panchayats.

Apart from Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Patan, Mahisagar and Morbi district Panchyats BJP has snatched power from Congress in many Taluka panchayats including Umargam, Himmatnagar, Pardi, Bayad etc.

Congress has also snatched some of the local bodies from the kitty of BJP including Dahod district panchayat and Mahua and Shihor taluka panchyats.

DeshGujarat