Wednesday, October 19 2005 12:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Congress, the ally of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), yesterday (Oct 18, 2005)charged the Election Commission with 'targeting a particular leader and a party' and said three RJD candidates were arrested on 'baseless charges' during the first phase of polling yesterday.

In an apparent reference to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Congress General Secretary and party in-charge of Bihar affairs Digvijay Singh told reporters for the past some days the EC had been 'targeting' a particular leader and a party.

Singh also demanded an impartial inquiry into the arrest of three RJD candidates during yesterday's polling and called for their immediate release.

Former Bihar minister and RJD candidate for Deo seat in Aurangabad Suresh Paswan was arrested on charge of moving in the constituency with weapon in violation of prohibitory orders while the RJD nominee from Govindpur in Nawada district Sanjay Prabhat was arrested for allegedly breaking the Electro Voting Machine (EVM) at a booth and also for resorting to firing to intimidate voters.

The RJD candidate from Obra constituency Satya Narayan Singh Yadav was arrested on charge of breaking the EVM.

The Congress General Secretary further alleged that central security force personnel chased away polling agents of his party at booth number 103 and 104 of Sahara assembly seat.

"We have informed the EC about the matter," he added.

Singh demanded the polling in four seats of Gaya town, Gaya Mufassil, Bodh Gaya and Belaganj scheduled on October 21 be postponed in view of the big religious festival Ramzan of the Muslim community.