Spies out to pin down Seshan

Spying can sometimes be more important than campaigning. Former Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan is being spied on.

The man who implemented the code of conduct stringently and pulled up politicians left and right is now being "observed closely by the BJP" for any violation of the model code of conduct.

Sources in the Gujarat Congress say the BJP in Gujarat has set aside a dozen educated party workers whose only job is to follow Mr Seshan religiously and find out whether he violates any code during his campaigning. Mr Seshan is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Gandhinagar against Union home minister L.K. Advani.

The BJP in the state has tried to frame Mr Seshan for violating the code of conduct at least thrice in the last 15 days. Every time, the "information" about Mr Seshan violating the code of conduct was "relayed" to the state election commission and district administration in less than 10 minutes of the alleged incident.

The Congress feels that this is because the BJP men invariably remain present in Mr Seshan’s meetings and call up the concerned authorities on their mobiles as soon as they feel that the Congress candidate has violated the code. "These mobile-wielding BJP workers have been instructed to attend Mr Seshan’s election meetings or campaign programmes and report immediately to the district authorities, the state Election Commission or minister of state for home Haren Pandya "as soon as they find Mr Seshan violating the model code of conduct." a Congress leader, who has been travelling with Mr Seshan, says.

The BJP. however, dismisses this allegation as a sheer baseless charge. "Why should we waste our manpower spying on Seshan." asks BJP spokesman Bharat Pandya.

The first time Mr Seshan was charged by the BJP for violating the code of conduct was when he stopped at the tent of a group of agitating dairy employees. The second time, he was in Parimal Garden addressing a public meeting and the third time he was to address a group of people in Sabarmati area when he was charged with organising public meeting without seeking official permission for them. The election commission however has not considered these complaints and has not yet charged him with violating the code of conduct.

"How can they, when I have not violated it? I am not a fool even if the BJP likes to think so," was Mr Seshan’s reaction.

Compiled from Local News Media

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