BJP Defending EC? UP Congress Chief Slams 'Vote Theft' Conspiracy
UP Congress chief Aradhana Mishra asks why BJP is defending the Election Commission amid allegations of massive voter deletions across India.
The political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh has intensified as the state Congress president, Aradhana Mishra Mona, launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During a press conference in Lucknow, Mishra raised serious questions regarding the alleged deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls and the ruling party's unexpected role in defending the Election Commission (EC).
Why is the BJP Speaking for the Election Commission?
Aradhana Mishra questioned the motives behind the BJP's current stance, asking why the ruling party has stepped forward to respond to the Opposition's concerns about the poll body's functioning. She pointed out that while the Opposition is raising alarms over "vote theft," the BJP is acting as a shield for the Election Commission.
Mishra specifically mentioned the arrival of leaders like Nitin Nabin in Gorakhpur and the Agriculture Minister in Lucknow, alleging that these moves were designed solely to target the Opposition and divert attention from the core issue of electoral irregularities.
The 'Vote Bachao' Movement and BJP's Reaction
The Congress leader claimed that the BJP is "rattled" by the public response to the 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' rally led by Rahul Gandhi on November 1. According to Mishra, the BJP's launch of a 'Democracy Save Yatra'—which saw participation from several Union Ministers and Chief Ministers—is actually a sign of the success of the Congress-led movement.
"For the first time, the ruling party has taken to the streets against the Opposition. The BJP is holding a 'Democracy Save Yatra' under the pretext of saving democracy... This is the success of our movement, which is now visible," Mishra stated.
Allegations of a National Conspiracy
The Congress chief expressed grave concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She alleged that this exercise led to the deletion of a massive number of voters' names, not just in thousands, but in crores, across several states including:
- Assam: Significant deletions reported during the SIR exercise.
- West Bengal: Large-scale deletions, with Mishra referencing the Chief Minister's statement that those deleted from rolls might be denied government benefits.
- Bihar: Similar patterns of voter removal alleged.
Mishra termed these actions as a "major conspiracy" carried out by the BJP to manipulate the democratic process.
The Yogi Adityanath Contradiction
In a surprising turn, Mishra cited recent remarks made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a BJP meeting in Lucknow. She claimed that the Chief Minister himself expressed concern over the state's voter numbers.
According to Mishra, Yogi Adityanath stated that Uttar Pradesh should have a total of 16 crore 70 lakh 75 thousand voters, but noted that approximately 1 crore 27 lakh voters' names had been deleted. She contrasted this with the Election Commission's figures, which placed the number of voters at approximately 13 crore 47 lakh after the SIR exercise.
Key Concerns Raised by the CM:
Mishra highlighted that the Chief Minister had specifically mentioned the deletion of:
- Young voters.
- Women who moved to Uttar Pradesh from other states after marriage.
The Congress leader questioned whether the Chief Minister's own admissions prove that the Election Commission has failed in its duties. She asked if these deletions would impact the number of seats in the Assembly elections and questioned if the BJP's defense of the EC was merely an attempt to protect Gyanesh Kumar.
Mishra concluded by emphasizing that the INDIA bloc partners remain committed to fighting for the protection of the Constitution and the integrity of Indian democracy.