Congress accuses BJP of coming to power in Maharashtra by rigging votes; asks Fadnavis to quit

BJP has seized power by rigging votes with the help of the Election Commission. Rahul Gandhi has once again exposed this with evidence, says State Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal

Mumbai: Accusing the BJP of seizing power in Maharashtra by rigging votes with the help of the Election Commission, State Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal on Thursday demanded the resignation of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Sapkal’s demand came hours after the press conference of Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi, where he accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of stonewalling Karnataka CID's request for information that could help identify those who sought illegal deletion of around 6,000 votes in Karnataka’s Aland constituency. He also said in Maharashtra's Rajura seat, 6,850 “fake” names were added using “fake names and fake addresses”.

Sapkal also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

“The BJP has seized power by rigging votes with the help of the Election Commission. Gandhi has once again exposed this with evidence. It has been proven with evidence that 6,850 votes were stolen in Rajura constituency of Chandrapur district. Devendra Fadnavis, who claims that no vote theft occurred, should witness this with his own eyes. An FIR has also been lodged by Fadnavis’ own police in this matter. Since he came to power through vote theft, he should resign immediately,” Sapkal said. 

"Sapkal said the Congress and Gandhi had earlier exposed how vote theft occurred in the Kamthi constituency of Maharashtra. Now, Gandhi has exposed yet another vote theft “bomb” — how the manipulation was done in the voter list of Rajura constituency in Chandrapur district,” he said.

According to Sapkal, the Election Commission is showing duplicity, and the Chief Election Commissioner is speaking like a political party leader without giving a clear answer on vote theft. 

“By rigging votes, the BJP and Modi aim to turn India into Nepal, Sri Lanka, or Bangladesh,” he alleged. 

Independent inquiry needed: NCP (SP)

National spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) Clyde Crasto said the allegations made by Gandhi are serious in nature.
He has shown how names in the electoral rolls are being deleted. How did these persons get access to an individual's voter ID account? How can the ECI's portal be hacked so easily? Or is someone in the ECI complicit? These are the questions that need to be answered by the ECI and the Central government. The allegations are getting serious by the day, and the ECI does not seem to have valid answers. They must hold an independent inquiry and present the truth and facts to the people of India," he demanded.