HYDERABAD, Feb 5: Local leaders of People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) on Monday accused the Sindh chief minister and provincial ministers of using government apparatus in the campaign for a PML-Q candidate in the by-elections for PS-71 Kotri seat and appealed to chief election commissioner to ensure that elections were held in a free, fair, impartial and transparent manner.

Speaking at a hurriedly-called press conference at the press club PPP Hyderabad President MPA Zahid Ali Bhurgri, PPP Jamshoro President Dr. Mohanlal and party candidate for PS-71 Kotri seat Dr. Sikandar Shoro alleged that the government vehicles and even police mobiles were being used in the election campaign for PML-Q candidate Pir Mujeeb in flagrant violation of the code of conduct.

Mr Bhurgri charged that some provincial ministers had set up camps at the local circuit house and in Kotri to supervise the campaign. On the one hand the government was harassing the nazims and councillors of Awam Dost Panel while on the other pro-government nazims had been given a free hand to interfere in the polls, he said

Police had removed the banners of PPP candidates and party flags from the entire constituency, which had always voted for PPP but this time it appeared the government had decided to win the seat by hook or crook, he said.

He appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and chief election commissioner to take notice of the malpractices and ensure the elections were held in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Dr. Mohanlal said that as part of propaganda campaign a piece of news was planted in a local paper claiming that he had left the party for PML-Q, which was totally false. "I would rather die than leave PPP," he said.

If the elections were held in a free, fair and impartial manner no one could defeat PPP on the seat which the party had been winning since 1970, he said.

PPP candidate Dr. Sikandar Shoro said that the way the government was campaigning for PML-Q candidate it appeared the seat had been given on contract to a handful of Sindh ministers and DPO of Jamshoro.

He said that the DCO Jamshoro had been sent on forced leave to give a free hand to the DPO and acting DCO to run the campaign. Stickers of PML-Q candidate could be seen even on government vehicles and police mobiles, he claimed.

Mr Shoro appealed to the chief election commissioner to take notice of the pre-polls rigging and ensure that elections were held in a free, fair, impartial and transparent manner.