“This is wrong”: Rajasthan Congress Chief Whip Rafeek Khan alleges police stopped him from entering Jaipur civic poll venue

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], September 25 (ANI): Congress leaders on Friday protested outside the Jaipur Municipal Corporation headquarters over alleged restrictions on their entry during the Jaipur mayoral poll, with Chief Whip of the Congress Legislative Party in Rajasthan Rafeek Khan alleging that police stopped him from entering the premises.
Speaking to ANI, Khan said he was stopped despite being a Jaipur MLA.
“The police stopped me, saying that two of your men have already entered. I said that I am an MLA from Jaipur, yet you are stopping me from entering. This will not do… This is wrong, and I will move a Privilege Motion against these officials. We will not allow this kind of conduct. How can they stop us when we have the legal right?” Khan said.
Congress MLA Amin Kagzi alleged that the party wanted to send its councillors inside but found that a BJP MP and other leaders were already present and observing the ballot process and conferring with the Returning Officer.
“We wanted to send our Councillors in, but we discovered that a BJP MP and other leaders were already inside; they were going in to observe how the ballots were being cast and were conferring with the Returning Officer… When we found this out, the President and I rushed here immediately… We were initially stopped at the gate and allowed inside only after a struggle,” Kagzi said.
Congress Councillor Dharam Singh Singhania told ANI that the party was optimistic about the mayoral poll, citing support from independent candidates.
“We are very optimistic; given the support we are receiving from independent candidates… The public wants a Congress-led board this time because they are quite frustrated with the BJP government. If a Congress board is formed, significant development work and effective schemes will be implemented in Jaipur,” Singhania claimed.
Elections were held for four bodies, including the Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota Municipal Corporations. BJP's Sunil Kothari won the Jaipur Municipal Corporation mayoral election, securing 89 votes.
Following his victory, newly elected Jaipur Municipal Corporation Mayor Sunil Kothari expressed gratitude to all 150 councillors for their support during the election process. (ANI)