JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress leaders have accused the BJP government of using administrative machinery to collect information about prospective Panchayati Raj election candidates. The allegation was reported on October 1 after state party chief Govind Singh Dotasra shared a letter seeking candidate details.
The document described an Excel format for possible contenders for posts including Zila Pramukh, Pradhan, Zila Parishad member and Panchayat Samiti member. It also sought a special-information field covering work or political background.
Dotasra alleged that the exercise could be used to pressure Congress candidates and demanded a public explanation. Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully also questioned its purpose. The report did not establish that candidates had actually been intimidated through this process.
State Election Commission Secretary Rajesh Verma said the commission had received no such complaint. He said a complaint, if received, would be investigated and action taken if required.
BJP state president Madan Rathore rejected Congress’s broader claims of misuse of power, pointing to the opposition’s own vote share in the urban local body elections. The dispute therefore remained a contested political allegation requiring official examination.
Source and image
Archive report rewritten by IndianVoter Desk from The Indian Express, 2026-10-01. The article date follows the source publication date. Compiled for the September–October archive on 30 October 2026.
Image source
The panchayat office at Bamnera, Rajasthan. Archive photograph of local government; not the reported dispute. Photo: Rasikdave / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain. Display crops may be applied.
