Govt refutes horsetrading in report to ECI

Gujarat government on Monday gave a clean chit to all those who were accused of horsetrading and intimidating Congress MLAs in a report submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Congress leaders had met the ECI in Delhi on Friday after which the latter had sought a report from the goverment.

Chief secretary of Gujarat Dr JN Singh submitted the report. Well placed sources in Gujarat govenrment said, “The report is based on the statements of different officials of the state government.”

He added, “The report concludes no one indulged in intimidation of Congress MLAs or horsetrading as no such evidences were received by the government. However, the CS has assured the ECI to provide police protection to the MLAs and their family members round the clock.”

Chief secretary, however, avoided to make any comment on the content of the report. Singh said, “I can say that I have submitted the report to the ECI on time. The report was prepared after the investigation done in multiple dimensions. As the ECI had directed us to keep the report confidential, we cannot reveal the content of the same.” Congress’s leader and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, deputy leader …read more