Opposition parties file FIR against Dilip Saikia over 'vote chori' in Assam, BJP calls it smear campaign

Guwahati: Stepping up the pressure on the ruling BJP over alleged "vote chori" charge, Congress led Opposition parties in poll-bound Assam on Friday lodged an FIR against Dilip Saikia, president of BJP's state unit, for allegedly instructing the MLAs to ensure removal of voters or supporters of the Opposition through the ongoing special revision of electoral rolls.

A team of the Opposition parties lodged the FIR at Dispur police station in Guwahati alleging that Saikia, during a video conference on January 4, asked the MLAs to delete names of 5,000 to 10,000 voters in at least 60 Assembly constituencies. Assam has 126 Assembly seats, elections for which are slated in March-April.

"In the FIR, we demanded the police to collect video footage of the conference. The opposition delegation also urged the police to ensure that no one involved in the alleged conspiracy of vote theft escapes accountability. This proves the allegation made by our leader Rahul Gandhi about vote chori by BJP," Congress leader and fromer Rajya Sabha member, Ripun Bora said.

The prominent leaders in the team included Lok Sabha member Rakibul Hussain, Bora, President of Asom Jatiya Parishad, Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Russel Hussain of Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal. Congress joined hands with seven other opposition parties in November to contest the Assembly elections together against BJP and its allies. The BJP is eyeing their third straight term.

The team later submitted a letter to Chief Electoral Officer, Assam seeking its intervention into the matter.

Lurinjyoti Gogoi, AJP said, "As BJP is certain about losing power in this elections, they are resorting to such illegal and unfair means of vote chori. They want to remove the votes of the indigenous communities and bring BJP supporters from outside and include them in the electoral rolls through this so called special revision. But people of Assam are very alert and will foil this unlawful conspiracy," Gogoi said.

Rejecting the allegations, BJP spokesperson Jayanta Kumar Goswami said it was smear campaign against Saikia by Congress and other opposition parties.