Bengaluru, Agency
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday accused the BJP and the Election Commission of turning a blind eye to alleged “vote-chori” in the state.
Addressing the issue, Shivakumar said, “BJP doesn't want to accept its fault. The same goes for the Election Commission. We are trying to convince the people of this country that vote chori has happened.”
In a bid to raise public awareness, Shivakumar met Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi and briefed him on the ongoing signature campaign undertaken by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
The campaign, aimed at highlighting electoral malpractices in the state, has reportedly collected over 1.12 crore signatures from across Karnataka. These signatures will be submitted to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in the coming days.
Shivakumar elaborated on the campaign, saying, “A call was given to have a signature campaign to educate the people of this country. I am very proud that the party cadres, the workers, the block presidents, the booth presidents, and all the legislators joined together in their constituencies. We have collected more than 1 crore signatures, and we are presenting all of them to the AICC.”
He also expressed appreciation for judicial intervention in the matter, referring to the announcement of the SIR (Special Investigation Report) in Karnataka.
“Looking at this, the SIR has been announced. I would like to thank the court for giving a direction on this issue,” he said.
The campaign, which involved extensive outreach across Karnataka, is seen by Congress as a significant step to mobilize public opinion against alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Party leaders emphasised that the initiative not only aims to gather evidence of “vote-chori” but also to reinforce the democratic rights of voters.
The BJP, however, has dismissed such allegations, maintaining that the electoral process in Karnataka was conducted fairly and transparently. The ongoing political tussle highlights the deepening scrutiny of electoral mechanisms in the state as parties gear up for upcoming elections.
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