JAIPUR: The Congress won the Kuchaman municipality using the controversial hybrid formula which allows a non-elected person to run for the post of a chairperson in a municipal body.
The hybrid formula for local body polls was opposed by former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and Congress has used it to its advantage for the first time. Congress candidate Asif Khan got indirectly elected as chairperson on Sunday.
Sources said that election incharge Harimohan Sharma took the decision under pressure since Congress didn’t have the majority in the 45-seat Kuchaman municipality. “Congress got 20 seats and was falling short of three seats to form its board. Sharma was offered four votes by two-time Congress councillor Arif Khan in lieu of his younger brother Asif Khan to be declared as Congress candidate under the hybrid system,” said a source, explaining that hybrid formula was not desired at first place.
PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra also didn’t seem fully convinced with the formula. He said the formula was introduced by the state government to be exercised in exceptional conditions. “Every formula has its merits. It was used only in Kuchaman as the ground conditions were favourable for it,” said Dotasra.