After election officials seized fake voter identity cards from an apartment in Bengaluru, both the Congress and the BJP sought the Election Commission’s intervention and accused each other of indulging in malpractice in the poll-bound State.

While a delegation of Cabinet Ministers JP Nadda, Smriti Irani, MA Naqvi and Dharmendra Pradhan met the poll panel on the BJP’s behalf on Wednesday, Congress leader Anand Sharma also called on the Commission.

Rein in central agencies: Congress

The Congress said in its complaint that the Centre is using law-enforcment agencies to target its leaders and members. The party delegation urged the panel to direct the Chief Electoral Officer to act and restrain the various central agencies, including the income-tax department, from any “prejudicial action” against the Congress unit in Karnataka till end of the Assembly election. The panel demanded that the CEO take action against the BJP leaders for influencing voters.

“We have submitted a detailed memorandum about the malpractices of the BJP and a concerted attempt by the ruling party, with the assistance of central agencies, including the Income-Tax department, to subvert the process of free-and-fair elections, target Congress candidates, carry out midnight raids and enact conspiracies,” Sharma told reporters after the meeting with EC officials.

The party claimed a midnight drama was enacted at the flat in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, and it was neither the EC nor the police, but BJP workers who raided the flat. The Congress also claimed the apartment belongs to a BJP leader, and that the tenant also works for the party.

“Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Ananth Kumar enacted a midnight drama to hurl allegations against the Congress party. The BJP also submitted a complaint. That falsehood of the BJP’s allegations now stands exposed. Manjula Nanjamuri, who is owner of the flat, is a former BJP corporator and leader from Jalahalli,” the Congress’ complaint said.

Countermand polls: BJP

The BJP, meanwhile, demanded countermanding of polls in the constituency, presently held by Congress leader Muniratna Naidu. Javadekar alleged in Bengaluru that Naidu was behind the “racket” and that the BJP had exposed it.

BJP President Amit Shah said the Congress was trying to rig the polls using fictitious voter identity cards. “Now the Congress is using fake voter IDs to create fictitious voters and rig the 2018 Karnataka polls,” Shah said.

“The Congress has read the writing on the wall. They know their reign of corruption and oppression is ending in Karnataka. That is why they are turning to unethical and anti-democratic ways to succeed. However, their attempts will be thwarted and the power of the people will win,” Shah said on Twitter.

The Congress’ media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjawala said the entire episode was a BJP conspiracy. “A high-level inquiry should be ordered by the Election Commission against all those indulging in this conspiracy to get the election countermanded by planting fake evidence,” he said. “They are making such allegations because of their imminent defeat, and after their workers and leaders were caught red-handed influencing voters in collating and collecting fake ID cards in order to influence the results of the elections.”

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