Gambhir says possess only one voter ID; hits back at AAP
New Delhi: Hitting back at the AAP, cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir Sunday asserted that he possessed only one voter identity card, adding that the ruling party in Delhi was making baseless allegations against him as it did not have any vision for the people.
Gambhir is fighting against AAP's Atishi from the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency this general elections.
"I have only one voter ID card from Rajender Nagar. I used to live with my maternal grandparents as a child at Ramjas Road (in Karolbagh), but I never voted from or applied for any voter identity card from there," he told PTI.
The BJP candidate was responding to Atishi's claim that he had two voter identity cards from Rajender Nagar and Karolbagh constituencies.
He alleged the AAP candidate was making allegations against him as she had nothing to talk about with voters during campaigning. "When you have no vision for the people or nothing else to talk about, you make allegations like these," Gambhir said.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court had on Friday decided to hear Atishi's criminal complaint against Gambhir in this regard on May 1.
The AAP candidate had filed the complaint against Gambhir for allegedly enrolling as a voter in more than one constituency in violation the Representation of the People Act(RPA).
She had also raised objection over the nomination papers filed by the former cricketer which were rejected by the returning officer of the polls.
Gambhir said he believed in "positive politics" and would campaign with a vision to make East Delhi one of the best Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi, and avoid indulging in blame game with his opponents in the polls.
Congress has fielded former Delhi minister Arvinder Singh Lovely from the seat.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
