BENGALURU: Sringeri MLA TD Rajegowda returned to Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, a day after the Supreme Court overturned the Sringeri vote recounting result and reinstated him as the elected representative.
Flanked by supporters, Rajegowda spoke to The New Indian Express on the high-stakes battle against his arch-rival DN Jeevaraj, that nearly cost him his seat, involving alleged forgery, manipulated postal ballots and a criminal conspiracy that reached the Supreme Court.
“The court has rejected many lies and almost 18 allegations peddled by my opponents,” Rajegowda declared.
The drama unfolded exactly three years ago -- May 13, 2023 — in the counting halls. According to Rajegowda and his counting agent Sudhir Kumar Maruli, the process began with postal votes from defence personnel. Of 11 votes, Rajegowda got 7, and Jeevaraj 3. Maruli recounted the votes: In the first round, 157 votes for Rajegowda against 204 for Jeevaraj; the second, 156 to 164; the third, 170 to 190; and the fourth, 79 to 131. Each vote was displayed to agents from both sides and captured on CCTV. The rejected votes in the four rounds -- 54, 102, 66 and 57 — were sealed.
Rajegowda alleged that someone tried to tamper with the votes. “The ink was different,” he pointed out. “Some vested interests subverted the process. Marks were made on ballot papers with an ink that does not match the authorised one. This was not a random error but a criminal conspiracy to unseat me.”
He formally complained to the authorities, demanding a thorough investigation into what he describes as a “massive fraud” targeting postal ballots. Trays belonging to the main contenders and also JDS, BSP, AAP and NOTA were part of the scrutiny, yet the spotlight remains on the disputed marks.
Relief came from the Supreme Court, validating his position and dismissing challenges against him. Yet the MLA is not content with a personal victory. “Let an official probe begin,” he urged. “If the authorities are truly interested in safeguarding democracy, they must investigate every angle. The truth must be brought before the public. From my side, I have given an official complaint to have the matter thoroughly investigated.”
As the controversy grows, questions persist: Whose hand is behind the alleged manipulations? With calls for forensic examination of ink and ballots growing louder, Rajegowda’s struggle to retain his seat is far from over.