Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 312 A Narrow Victory, Not a Great Victory

Guo Dong stood up, put his hands behind his back, walked to the window, and looked out.

"Comrade Tanzhi, I have been in leadership positions for thirty years and have seen too many intelligent people."

Some intelligent people focus their efforts on doing good deeds and starting businesses, benefiting the local community, and thus achieving steady and long-term success.

Guo Dong spoke very harshly: "There are also some clever people who use hints instead of explicit statements, tacit approval instead of authorization, ignorance to absolve themselves of responsibility, democracy as a shield, and voting by representatives in accordance with laws and regulations to cover up non-organizational activities."

Guo Dong turned around and stared at Cheng Tanzhi: "Comrade Tanzhi, you think you've done everything perfectly, you think you've left enough safe distance, you think that as long as you don't say the word 'throw' yourself, no one can do anything to you."

But have you ever thought about why those who fight for you should take risks for you?

Did they leave anything behind?

Did you think that giving them a hint would make them keep your secret?

Guo Dong paused for a moment, then continued, "Comrade Tanzhi, it's not too late to pull back from the brink."

Looking back now, if we thoroughly explain the situation to the organization, admit our mistakes, and actively cooperate, we might still be able to gain the upper hand.

Once the die is cast, the nature of the situation changes completely.

Don't harbor any illusions. Before Party discipline and national law, any small clique or petty scheme is utterly futile!

Cheng Tanzhi remained silent for a while, knowing that the situation was hopeless and that it was impossible for him to be elected as the county magistrate. If things went wrong, he would not even be able to become the deputy secretary. However, he was still unwilling to admit that he had secretly instructed people to campaign for him.

"Director Guo, I can assure you that I absolutely did not intentionally sabotage the election, and I absolutely did not instruct anyone to bribe voters."

If my inappropriate words or actions cause misunderstandings or even lead to exploitation by some individuals, I am willing to conduct a thorough self-examination before the organization and rectify any potential negative impacts.

Guo Dong nodded: "Comrade Tanzhi, the organization is giving you time, but time waits for no one."

The People's Congress will open tomorrow. You must strictly abide by the discipline for the election and must not engage in any unauthorized activities, nor instruct or condone anyone to collude to solicit votes.

If the election proceeds smoothly and the organization's intentions are successfully achieved, your previous actions will be taken into consideration by the organization.

But if you remain stubborn and take risks, the outcome is predictable.

You're a smart person; I'm sure I don't need to explain it too bluntly. Go back now.

……

The county people's congress officially opened.

On the last morning of the conference, the main event took place—the election of the county head.

Normally, this is just a formality.

However, after Qingshan County experienced a vote-buying incident, the supervisory team was on high alert.

Guo Dong, being experienced, arranged for more than ten staff members, ostensibly to guide the representatives in voting to prevent misoperation, but in reality, it was a form of disguised supervision.

Of course, for several hundred representatives, a dozen or so people are clearly not enough.

If the delegates insist on casting their votes for Cheng Tanzhi through another person, they have no right to interfere.

After voting ends, the vote counting begins.

The vote count can't be faked; there are vote monitors present.

The host announced: "Distinguished delegates, I will now read out the vote count results of the election of the county magistrate at the Third Session of the 18th People's Congress of Qingshan County."

In this county mayor election, 285 out of 293 delegates were present, meeting the quorum requirement.

285 ballots were issued and 285 ballots were returned.

Of these, 282 were valid and 3 were invalid.

He paused, then raised his voice: "Candidate Ding Yiyi received 174 votes in favor."

The following are the results of the nomination votes received in the "Others" section.

Comrade Cheng Tanzhi received 103 nomination votes…

Following that, the host read out a few other nominees, all of whom had received single-digit votes.

"According to the election rules of this congress, a candidate can be elected only if he or she receives more than half of the votes of all delegates."

Now, I announce: Comrade Ding Yiyi has been elected as the County Head of Qingshan County People's Government!

Applause erupted in the hall.

The applause was not enthusiastic.

Wu Zhiyuan is also a county people's congress representative. It is a clear fact that if there had been no prior intervention, the election results would definitely not be what they are now, and Ding Yi would most likely have lost the election.

This shows that after the city's supervisory team forcefully entered Qingshan and detained several people, some representatives did not dare to vote for Cheng Tanzhi.

Despite this, 103 delegates still voted for Cheng Tanzhi.

If they didn't accept bribes, there's really nothing you can do about them.

After all, it is their right to vote for whom or not to vote for whom.

Ding Yiyi's heart was filled with turmoil.

The score was 174 votes to 103, a narrow victory, not a landslide one.

If we hadn't taken action in advance, the result would have been failure to be selected.

The host proceeded with the agenda according to procedure: "Next, please welcome the newly elected County Head of Qingshan County, Comrade Ding Yiyi, to speak."

Ding Yi stood up, bowed to the podium, and then bowed to the delegates' seats.

"Distinguished delegates and comrades! First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your trust and support."

To the 174 delegates who voted in my favor, each of your votes carries a heavy responsibility. I feel deeply honored, but also humbled.

At the same time, I would also like to thank the 111 representatives who did not vote in favor of me.

This isn't just empty talk; it's what I truly believe.

111 disapprovals—that's a more precious gift to me.

The delegates were all listening attentively.

The female county head clearly did not read from a prepared speech, but spoke on the spot.

"Why do I call it a gift? Because it made me clearly see that after I, Ding Yiyi, arrived in Qingshan, there was still a lot of work I hadn't done, a lot of comrades I hadn't confided in, and a lot of expectations that hadn't been met."

Some people say that I come from the city and have long been engaged in discipline inspection work, so I am too particular about rules and regulations and not in touch with reality.

Today, as I stand here, I must admit that part of this statement is true.

I do follow the rules, because the rules are the bottom line. If the bottom line is crossed, development will be nothing but a mirage.

But on another level, I need to reflect on my shortcomings. I am not grounded in reality, I am not diligent enough in my work, and I am not sincere enough. I have not truly entered the hearts of the 800,000 people in Qingshan.

Those 111 tickets are both a warning and an expectation.

It's asking me: "Ding Yiyi, do you understand the situation in Qingshan County? Can you lead Qingshan's development? Can you avoid disappointing the people?"

Ding Yi paused for a few seconds, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, and said in a firm and powerful voice: "My answer is: I can, and I must be able to."

"I have no experience in leading economic work in counties and districts, which is my weakness."

But weaknesses can be addressed, and experience can be learned.

I promise everyone: From now on, I will measure every inch of Qingshan's land with my footsteps, listen sincerely to the demands of every group in Qingshan, and respond to the expectations of Qingshan's 800,000 people for development with hard work.

The position of county magistrate is not a chair of power, but a shackle of responsibility.

Wearing it means you have to shoulder the weight of the green mountains.

I will devote myself wholeheartedly to public service, working day and night, not seeking to please everyone, but only to have a clear conscience.

Thank you everyone!

Ding Yi did not deliver a lengthy speech, nor did he use any tedious official jargon or platitudes.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ding Yi bowed deeply again. The hall was silent for a few seconds, then erupted in applause several times more enthusiastic than before.

The next item on the agenda is a speech by Guo Dong, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress and head of the municipal supervision team.

"Comrades, the election of Comrade Ding Yiyi was legal in procedure and the result is valid."

On behalf of the municipal supervisory team, I congratulate Comrade Ding Yiyi on her election.

"This county people's congress, especially the election of the county head, was successfully completed in accordance with laws and regulations, thanks to the organization of the county party committee and the county people's congress, and the joint efforts of all the delegates. The county head was elected."

From both a procedural and outcome perspective, the organization's intentions were achieved.

However, if we examine this election with higher standards and stricter requirements, it cannot be said to be a complete success, but only a basic success.

Or rather, it was a minimum level of success achieved through complex struggle and effective intervention.

"Why do I say that?" Guo Dong asked himself and answered, "Because on the eve of the meeting, and even during the meeting, the city obtained solid clues and discovered that there was a corrupt trend in Qingshan County that was trying to interfere with and disrupt the county magistrate election!"

There are blatant, organized, and premeditated unauthorized activities and vote-buying!

The meeting room erupted in uproar!

Although there had been rumors beforehand, the fact that the head of the municipal supervision team pointed it out so sternly in a formal setting still shocked everyone.

"Our preliminary investigation has revealed that some individuals, disregarding Party discipline and national laws, and organizational principles, have been using intermediaries to collude with some NPC deputies through means such as inviting them to dinner, giving them gifts and money, and making promises. They are attempting to disrupt and undermine the normal election order, challenge the authority of the organization, and achieve their ulterior motives by electing other people!"

This behavior is a serious violation of political discipline, organizational discipline, and integrity discipline!

This is a blatant desecration of the system of people's congresses, a serious pollution of intra-party political life, and a typical example of political opportunism and rent-seeking!

Its heinous nature and detrimental impact are shocking!

The room was completely silent.

Many people instinctively lowered their heads.

Guo Dong's voice was stern: "The Municipal Party Committee attaches great importance to this, and Secretary Lin Xue and Secretary Han Ying have personally made arrangements."

After the supervisory team arrived in Qingshan, it worked closely with relevant county departments, acted swiftly, and took decisive action.

Currently, we have taken several middlemen suspected of organizing collusion, vote-buying, and bribery into custody in accordance with laws and regulations, and have preliminarily ascertained some facts and secured relevant evidence.

Here, I can responsibly tell everyone that any attempt to interfere with or disrupt the election is doomed to failure in the face of Party discipline and national law, and under the strong leadership of the Municipal Party Committee!

"Of course, we must also recognize that the vast majority of representatives are good, able to uphold principles, distinguish right from wrong, and perform their duties in accordance with the law."

It was precisely because most representatives adhered to the bottom line, resisted temptations, and withstood pressure that the election, under extremely complex circumstances, ultimately achieved the organization's objectives.

The municipal party committee is aware of and affirms this.

But the story doesn't end there!

The city will continue to conduct in-depth investigations into the problems that have been exposed and the individuals involved who have been apprehended, and will investigate to the end without any leniency!

No matter who is involved, no matter how high their position or how deep their background, as long as they violate Party discipline and state laws, they must be seriously investigated and dealt with!

The municipal party committee's attitude is clear and resolute:

The political environment in Qingshan County must be purified. Anyone who dares to cross the line regarding discipline during the leadership transition will pay a heavy price!