The Hindu : Karnataka News : No deferment of panchayat polls: Dharam Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

No deferment of panchayat polls: Dharam Singh

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JAN. 30. The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, has ruled out postponement of elections to gram panchayats.

Addressing presspersons after a brief meeting with the All-India Congress Committee General Secretary in charge of the State, A.K. Antony, at the Kumara Krupa guest-house here on Sunday, Mr. Dharam Singh said elections to gram panchayats are mandatory and they will be held as per schedule.

The State Election Commissioner, M.R. Hegde, on Saturday announced that elections to 5,526 of the 5,650 gram panchayats will be held in two phases on February 25 and 27.

A section of the media had reported about the postponement of elections to the local bodies.

The Chief Minister rejected criticism that he bows to the dictates of the coalition partner, the Janata Dal (Secular). He is not functioning under any pressure. "No one is pressurising me," he said.

The Chief Minister denied allegations by a section of Congress leaders that the image of the party is on the downslide as the Janata Dal (S) has tightened its hold over the Government. The Congress won the Bidar Lok Sabha seat in the byelections held last year, he said.

Mr. Singh briefed Mr. Antony on the initiatives taken by the State Government and the problems being faced in running the coalition. To a question on snapping ties with the Janata Dal (S), Mr. Singh said the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, had entrusted him the task of running the coalition Government.

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