Voter bribes claimed as key Indian state holds election

NEW DELHI: Claims of dirty tricks made by India’s two main parties cast a cloud over voting in a key Indian state on Saturday after nearly 10,000 voting cards were seized by election authorities.

The opposition Congress party, which has dominated Indian politics in the seven decades since independence, is fighting to retain its last major state, Karnataka, amid a fierce battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party.

Over 70% of the nearly 50 million voters exercised their franchise to elect 222 lawmakers, the Election Commission said.

Voting in one constituency was postponed after the discovery of the voting cards, which authorities suspect were obtained through bribes. Police have launched an investigation.

The state election commission said there was a plot to “vitiate the poll process” in Rajarajeshwari Nagar district of the state capital Bangalore.

Congress and Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party accused each other over the fraud.

Voting in the district has been pushed back to May 28.

Across the state, officials said they had seized goods and cash worth nearly 940 million rupees (RM513 million) – including liquor valued at 240 million rupees – aimed at wooing voters.

Tens of thousands of security personnel were deployed across the state of 65 million people for voting. The results, which will have a major impact on campaigning for a national election next year, are to be announced tomorrow.

A rainstorm on Friday again exposed Bangalore’s over-stretched infrastructure with traffic snarls, waterlogging and overflowing drains.

The two parties urged voters to brave the disruption and turn out in force.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to party workers to “provide all possible assistance to those affected by heavy rains”.

“Our polling booth teams must remain alert and must help voters facing difficulties in reaching polling booths,” he added in a Twitter statement. – AFP