THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V D Satheesan has rejected allegations that the UDF’s victory in the assembly election was linked to irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, arguing that such concerns were relevant to states where the BJP had a stake in the electoral outcome.
Satheesan also dismissed the suggestion that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had attributed electoral defeats to the SIR exercise, insisting that Kharge had made no such statement.
Responding to questions, Satheesan said neither the BJP nor the CPM had raised complaints over the SIR process in Kerala. He said the UDF had flagged certain procedural issues, seeking greater transparency and simplification, but these had been resolved. “The BJP has a chance of winning in certain states. Such things have been done there. Why would they do it elsewhere?” he asked, citing West Bengal, Maharashtra, Haryana and Karnataka as states where electoral roll-related concerns had been raised.
Satheesan said the UDF had been vigilant throughout the revision process, with its representatives checking electoral rolls at every polling booth to ensure that no genuine vote was lost. The front had approached the Election Commission and the state Electoral Officer with complaints, he said.