BJP nominee assails Purnia dist admn

PURNIA: The BJP nominee for Purnia Lok Sabha seat Pappu Singh came down heavily upon Purnia district administration and disputed all its claims about peaceful and fair poll in Purnia on May 5.
Pappu Singh, talking to TNN over phone, fired salvo at the district magistrate-cum-returning officer and said the DM acted more as an agent of RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav than discharging his official obligation as the returning officer (RO) of Purnia parliamentary constituency.
Congressman-turned-BJP nominee Pappu Singh has again locked horns with old adversary, LJP candidate and jailbird Pappu Yadav who had wrested Purnia seat from BJP''s Jay Krishna Mandal in 1999.
Pappu Yadav, too, has swapped political sides and now enjoys political patronage of foe-turned-friend Laloo Prasad Yadav.
The BJP nominee alleged largescale rigging and booth-capturing by hired musclemen and armed goons of LJP candidate Pappu Yadav who had free access to polling booths and charged them with unleashing terror and intimidation to scare away the genuine voters.
While there was a naked dance of terror, the entire district machinery stood like mute bystander or connived with them, he alleged, adding central forces were deployed in a manner which could only allow the goons a free hand.
He said though he had conveyed his apprehensions about such largescale rigging and malpractice, the authorities only drew a blinker over their eyes.
On the contrary, officials positioned chowkidars at vulnerable points to facilitate them, he added.
The BJP candidate claimed huge support of Muslim voters, who, for fear of reprisal, preferred to vote silently. He said his personal rapport with them helped break Muslims'' antipathy towards the BJP.