Chhattisgarh: Congress goes to EC after EVM found in the house of a teacher

Sensing an imminent defeat in the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, the state BJP under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh is resorting to all sorts of corrupt means to save itself from the humiliation.

The Congress delegation under the leadership of senior Congress leader PL Punia met the Election Commission of India and apprised the commission of the gross violations of the code of conduct by the BJP in Chhattisgarh. Talking to media after submitting the memorandum, Punia said, “Never, such an act of blatant misuse of power has taken place. Electronic Voting Machines have been found in Chirmiri (Manendragarh Assembly Constituency). The police have seized these machines from one Ved Prakash Mishra who is the headmaster of a Government High School in Chirmiri. The Election Commission has not taken any action on this issue.

The seizure of EVMs from the house of an individual is not the only incident of abuse of power. Congress has alleged that in the Assembly constituency of Samri the BJP candidate was found distributing cash and ₹2 lakh was found with him, but no action was taken despite the FIR that was lodged against him.

It is stated in the memorandum that, “A BJP candidate from the Assembly Constituency Samri has been found distributing cash. The Representation of Peoples Act 1951 treats this as a fundamentally corrupt practice. He was caught, and the incident has been filmed. We are providing a video to the Election Commission to examine.”

Speaking to NH, Senior congress leader Meem Afzal questioned the road show and public address by BJP President Amit Shah on November 17 in Raipur which was conducted without any permission.

“Are election rules for BJP and its president different from election rules for other parties and its leaders. Do they not need any official permission to hold road show and public rally? Is Chief Minister Raman Singh not abusing the power? Election Commission needs to answer these questions.”

Congress has alleged that BJP President Amit Shah along with four candidates not only took out the road show but also addressed the public gathering at 8 pm on November 17 without taking permission from the administration.

Bringing forward several issues of flouting the election norms, the Congress delegation sought the immediate redressal of these issues from the Election Commission of India as the intention for these violations was to subvert the outcome of the Assembly Election in Chhattisgarh.

Confident Congress leader PL Punia told NH that “Congress is winning Chhattisgarh with a big margin”. On the Ajit Jogi issue he said, “Jogi is not a factor in Chhattisgarh and he may lose his own seat”.