BJP misusing government machinery to track probable poll candidates, Rajasthan Congress says

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra interacts with the media in Jaipur. (Express photo by Rohit Jain Paras/File)

Levelling serious allegations against the state government, the Congress party on Wednesday said that the ruling party sought names for probable candidates for upcoming Panchayati Raj polls through the state machinery.

According to a letter shared by state Congress chief, Govind Singh Dotasra, the District Collectors who are also the District Electoral Officers, are seeking information from all returning officers in their districts regarding possible candidates for Zila Pramukh, Pradhan, Zila Parishad member, and Panchayat Samiti member.

The letter, with certain names and information redacted, seeks the information in Excel data with specific fonts, with names to be “entered row-wise against the relevant panchayat samiti/gram panchayat/ward and reserved category, with multiple names placed in separate rows rather than separated by commas or slashes.”

The sheet also has a column titled ‘vishesh vivran’ or special mention, where the candidate’s specific information, notable work, or the political background has been sought in Hindi.

“In compliance with the above instructions, the Excel sheet received from the state government is being sent enclosed with this letter. Ensure that the information of the prospective candidates prepared in the prescribed format in this excel sheet is sent by 5pm today, that is 28.9.2026,” reads the letter.

While State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh could not be reached for comments, State Election Commission Secretary Rajesh Verma said that, “We have not received any such complaint. If we receive a complaint, we will get it investigated. And if required, will also take action.”

Addressing Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said: “At your behest, a dishonest officer ensconced in the CMO is issuing these orders in the arrogance of power, but you seem to forget that the state’s administrative machinery is not your party’s election office, tasked with keeping tabs on potential candidates from any party and reporting on them.”

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“The BJP government is gathering this information so that it can target Congress’s winning public representatives. So that it can intimidate and threaten Congress candidates. By digging up old cases against them, issuing notices, filing false cases, and taking government action to prevent them from contesting elections,” he alleged.

“The government must provide a public clarification on this order and its intent. I want to ask the Election Commission… how much more evidence is needed? Let the Commission explain what kind of electoral process this is? There must be an immediate investigation into this matter, and it must be made clear who sought the list of potential candidates for the panchayat elections, for what purpose it was sought, where the information is to be sent, and what it will be used for?”

“After the embarrassment in the municipal elections, the BJP government is now gearing up to intimidate and threaten democracy even before the panchayat elections have begun! The elections haven’t even started yet, and collectors are being asked for names of potential Zila Pramukhs, Sarpanchs, Zila Parishad members, and Panchayat Samiti members. Under what rule is permission granted to collect such data?” he said.

Earlier in the day, BJP state president Madan Rathore said, “There is a clear contradiction in Congress’s statements. On one hand, Congress leaders claim they lagged behind the BJP by only a few votes (in urban local body polls), while on the other, they level allegations on the election process and misuse of power.” He said that “if power had been misused, Congress would not have received so many votes. Where Congress wins elections, it pats itself on the back and where it loses, it blames EVMs, the Election Commission, and the government machinery.”

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Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully said, “Ahead of the Panchayat elections, the fear of defeat is beginning to haunt the government, and lists of potential candidates are being extracted. Why?”

“Go ahead and wield as much dictatorship as you want, deploy the entire government apparatus as much as you like—the people of Rajasthan will neither be intimidated nor bow down. Remember, the mandate doesn’t emerge from government files; it comes from the votes of the people. And when the people of Rajasthan deliver their verdict, they strip away all the arrogance of those in power,” Jully said.

Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More

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