Click to play videoLucknow: In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati has banned the participation of political parties in civic polls.
The ban includes conducting local body elections based on party symbols.
The move has generated anger among the opposition parties who have criticised the government in one voice.
"Local body elections are very important. This is where grass-root politics is learnt. The government is cutting the roots. If this is the logic, then that way, even assembly elections shouldn't be held on party lines" says Dinesh Sharma, former BJP mayor.
The Constitution of India empowers all state governments to determine electoral rules for local governments such as, municipal corporations and panchayats.
Mayawati government's earlier decision to ban student union elections had caused similar uproar in the state.
In its defence, the state government says that its move will help de-politicize the civic bodies. However, the Opposition doesn't seem to be ready to buy this argument.
"Mayawati is afraid that if Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) loses local bodies elections, it will be a tough task in the assembly elections," says Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.
Those opposing the move also include the Congress which has threatened to challenge it in the court of law.
"We will oppose this move both politically and legally and we have been consulting the party high-command on this issue," says Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh.
Uttar Pradesh has 12 corporations, 191 town municipal corporations and 414 rural municipal corporations. Any setback in these local body polls would not only demoralise the BSP cadre but would also give another opportunity to the Congress to reach out to the electorate ahead of the 2012 assembly elections.
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