BJP and SP trade charges, move EC

LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party, the two main contenders in three bypolls in western UP, moved the Election Commission on Monday, accusing each other of disrupting the electoral process.

After the SP, on its official Twitter handle, alleged that police force was being used and officials on election duty were preventing people from casting their votes, especially in Rampur, minister and BJP general secretary JPS Rathore led a delegation to the EC, filing the party’s second complaint in as many days against the SP.

The SP also posted a video, which claimed BJP agents were distributing cash in Mainpuri. The BJP too took to twitter to allege that in some booths, “unscrupulous elements of the SP” were preventing people from casting their votes and sought the EC’s intervention.

In their complaint, BJP leaders claimed that the SP leaders were approaching the EC first to divert people’s attention from their own tactics. “A commando with the SP chief, who took special leave to be in Mainpuri, is terrorising voters,” BJP leaders told EC officials. Both parties cited specific instances of irregularities and termed each-others’ charges as baseless. UP BJP chief Bhupinder Singh Chaudhary said: “The SP is making baseless allegations as it is going to taste defeat on all the three seats.”

SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said: “It’s true that there is a challenge for SP in these bypolls, but it’s not from the BJP. It’s from the police and government officials who are being forced to work as BJP agents.” RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, whose candidate Madan Bhaiya is contesting from Khatauli in alliance with the SP, also alleged irregularities by the BJP.