Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav casts his vote in Saifai on Friday
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP govt of deploying goons and using corrupt officials to force SP voters out of polling stations during voting for the 11 MLC seats on Friday.
He said it was time for the BJP to set up a university on vote theft. Akhilesh said the Election Commission must be watching what all unfolded at polling stations in UP but chose to turn a blind eye to rampant booth capturing which was being aired on social media platforms. They (EC) seem to have slipped into a slumber after being made to consume some sleeping pills,” Akhilesh said. Terming the alleged booth-capturing “highly condemnable”, Akhilesh said party functionaries have recorded videos of high handedness of the election officials and BJP goons. “These videos and other evidences will be produced before the authorities concerned and we will seek registration of FIRs against errant officials who have tried to destroy democracy,” Akhilesh said.
“Is today a holiday for the EC?
“The BJP should now set up a university on vote theft,” Akhilesh said, adding that the BJP has used every means to deny SP supporters their right to vote which reflects the govt’s desperation to win elections. The BJP has deputed its goons and corrupt govt officials to block and chase away SP voters,” he said. “Be it in Agra, Fetahpur, Jaunpur or chief minister’s home district of Gorakhpur, information is pouring in that SP supporters and voters heading to cast their votes are being stopped.
Akhilesh accused the BJP of destroying democratic and constitutional institutions by misusing govt machinery to first tailor voters list and then use force to deny the right to vote to bonafide electorate.