Karnataka Congress collects 1.12 crore signatures in ‘vote chori’ campaign

Bengaluru: The state Congress said on Saturday that it has collected 1.12 crore signatures for the party’s ‘vote chori’ campaign with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘destroying’ independent institutions, including the Election Commission (EC).

All signatures will be sent to the AICC, which will decide on handing them over to President Droupadi Murmu, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar said. 

Speaking on the occasion, the CM accused the EC of “taking orders” from the union government. 

“After Modi became PM, all independent institutions are being destroyed - CBI, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax and now EC,” Siddaramaiah said. “It is proved that BJP is stealing votes.”

Shivakumar said the ‘vote chori’ campaign was “a public movement” and that signatures were collected from all over Karnataka.

“People have lost faith (in EC). That’s why our government has decided that local body elections will be held with ballot papers and not electronic voting machines,” he said, adding that papers containing the signatures would be sent to Delhi in boxes by air.