Govt distances itself from poll spat

CEC calls on Kalam; Bhardwaj debunks Saptarishi's letter, claims

Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj today denied having received any letter written by LV Saptarishi, the director-general of the Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (Capart), making allegations of bias against Chief Election Commissioner-designate BB Tandon and Election Commissioner N Gopalswami.

"I do not know Saptarishi. I have received no letter from him. Even if he sends it, I will not entertain such a letter," Bhardwaj said. Bhardwaj sought to project that the government was reluctant to participate in an attack on the autonomous Election Commission.

That, however, differs from the stand taken by the Congress in the Lok Sabha. When Devendra Yadav and Ram Kirpal Yadav (both RJD) demanded a discussion on the allegations, Congress Chief Whip Pawan Bansal and several party MPs supported them.

In fact, so loud were their demands that Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was forced to adjourn the House.

Outside the House, the Congress joined the Left in distancing itself from the controversy.

This, along with the fact that election commissioners cannot be changed without undergoing a process of impeachment, suggests that Saptarishi has allowed himself to be used for political purposes.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad demanded a detailed discussion on the working of the poll panel.

The issue soured ongoing Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy's farewell meeting with President APJ Abdul Kalam.

According to sources, the three commissioners met the President and apprised him of all developments on the Chhapra Lok Sabha election, justifying their decision to countermand the poll.

RJD sources said the timing of allegations, a year after the said event occurred, had more to do with former Home Secretary Gopalswami rather than Tandon, both of whom are perceived to be close to BJP chief LK Advani. "

Gopalswami is, after Tandon, the likeliest candidate for the CEC's job. Unlike Tandon, who has a tenure of only one year after he succeeds the post, Gopalswami will have a tenure of nearly four years.

Therefore, the possibility of his being the CEC during the next Lok Sabha elections is strong. At that time, we do not want a CEC who is close to the Opposition," said an RJD minister.

"Gopalswami served as the home secretary when Advani was the home minister, and was deputed to the Election Commission after his retirement, just before the polls in May 2004," added the minister.

One of the demands of the Congress and the RJD is the complete reconstitution of the poll panel. The law minister's U-turn has confused matters somewhat. But, it can be part of a plan not to pander to Prasad.

The BJP has a different take on the issue. Arun Jaitley demanded that all correspondence relating to the tenure of the Capart director-general be made public "to reveal the quid pro quo between ministers in the UPA government and Saptarishi".

"On April 30, at Capart board's meeting , presided over by Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a move to fix the tenure of the director-general at two years was made. In the next five days, the suggestion was moved to the department of personnel and training," he said.

"The letter was written on May 6. Clearly there is a connection there," he said.

While the RJD and the BJP appear to be polarised on the issue, it is the Congress which seems to be flip-flopping. This situation is seemingly a throw-back to the days of government formation crisis in Jharkhand.

Then, too, it was Bhardwaj who had prevented the government from challenging the apex court order.

Bhardwaj had then said the constitutional bodies should be allowed to retain their sanctity.