'No genuine mandate for Modi': Venugopal says Cong will audit voters’ list over 'irregularities' in 2019 LS polls

Venugopal said there were 48 constituencies where I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidates lost by fewer than 50,000 votes, and the party would carry out extensive checks in all of them.

Alappuzha: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday said the Congress will launch a comprehensive audit to uncover alleged irregularities in the voters’ list from the last Lok Sabha elections.

He said there were 48 constituencies where I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidates lost by fewer than 50,000 votes, and the party would carry out extensive checks in all of them.

Speaking to reporters in Alappuzha, Venugopal alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "did not assume office with a genuine mandate", claiming this became evident after Rahul Gandhi released "evidence of electoral fraud".

Venugopal said, "A comprehensive audit will be conducted to identify irregularities in the voters' list from the last Lok Sabha elections." Gandhi on Thursday made explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through collusion between the BJP and the EC, as he cited an analysis in a constituency in Karnataka and said it was "a crime against the Constitution".

The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka on Thursday asked Gandhi to share the names of electors he claimed were either included or excluded wrongfully from the voters' list of the state, along with a signed declaration for the poll authorities to initiate "necessary proceedings".

Alleging that the BJP “seized power” by manipulating the voter list in the 2019 polls, Venugopal claimed a proper investigation could force "Modi to resign". Instead, he accused the Election Commission of “threatening” Gandhi and the Congress for raising objections.

However, Venugopal claimed the EC is yet to respond to the irregularities flagged.

"Don’t try to scare us," he told the Commission, adding that Congress would continue its fight. He announced a protest march to the EC office in New Delhi on August 11, to be led by party MPs.

The Congress leader also alleged that fake voters were included in the rolls in Kerala, citing Thrissur and Alappuzha constituencies as examples.