BENGALURU: As the curtains came down on outdoor campaigning for the November 3 assembly bypolls, Congress levelled fresh allegations of electoral malpractice against the BJP. Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh on Sunday held a press conference along with party’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar candidate H Kusuma accusing BJP candidate Muniratna of bribing voters.
Releasing a few videos, purportedly showing money being distributed to voters to either vote for BJP or refrain from visiting the polling booths, Suresh alleged gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
“This candidate (Muniratna) is creating an environment of fear by threatening bloodshed. I believe he has the government’s backing. These video clippings make it clear who is collecting the Voter ID and who instigated violence. But neither the police nor the ECI has taken action,” said Suresh.
Congress’ candidate Kusuma too questioned the personal attacks directed at her. The Congress claims to have mounting evidence against Muniratna and released some videos to the media on Sunday. One purportedly shows a Congress worker being threatened. “In Jalahalli, our worker from the ST community was threatened by hooligans who barged into their homes.
The police are refusing to take note of this. They are in fact supporting the BJP candidate’s campaign and acting like agents,” Suresh alleged. He added that other videos showed Rs 1,000 being given as bribe to voters in Laggere locality and in another video voters from the minority community are purportedly being encouraged to refrain from going to the polling stations.
BJP denied the charges and called Suresh’s allegations a desperate attempt to malign the party and its candidate. “Congress has already accepted defeat and has started giving reasons. They could have officially lodged a complaint with the authorities if they have anything substantial,” said Capt Ganesh Karnik, BJP spokesperson.
The officials of the Election Commission of India, however, said no official complaint had been lodged in connection with the alleged videos till Sunday night. Congress, meanwhile, is preparing to lodge a complaint on Monday.
Money flows into Sira ahead of bypoll
Money has been flowing into Sira, which will go to the polls on November 3. The workers from all three major parties have been distributing money to the voters with the help of the local leaders. A party has been paying Rs 1,000 per head to ‘vulnerable’ voters whereas its rivals are giving Rs 500.
The managers of the candidates reside just outside the constituency and pump in money, said sources. “They have made A, B, and C lists. A stands for committed party voters who will not be paid, B for fence-sitters who will be paid money and C are those committed to the rival parties and they will be ignored totally,” the sources said.