Assam oppn parties claim BJP ‘conspired' to omit names from voter list; CM rejects charge
Guwahati (PTI): Opposition parties in Assam on Friday approached the police and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) against the BJP, alleging that it conspired to delete names from the electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls, a charge rejected by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sarma maintained that revision of electoral rolls is a regular process to ensure ineligible names are struck off, and eligible voters included through a due procedure.
He also made light of the Congress’ ‘vote chori’ allegation here, stating that elections are yet to take place.
Assam has registered a 1.35 per cent increase in voters as per the draft electoral rolls, published on 30 December after the Special Revision (SR) was conducted ahead of the Assembly polls. A total of 7,86,841 additions and 4,47,196 deletions have taken place.
Five of the opposition parties — the Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad and the CPI(ML)L — filed a complaint at Dispur Police Station here, claiming that state BJP president Dilip Saikia has specifically entrusted cabinet minister Ashok Singhal to carry out the deletion process in 60 legislative assembly constituencies (LACs).
They also submitted a memorandum to the CEO, claiming anomalies and discrepancies in the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.
A Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls is underway in Assam, with the final voter list to be published on February 10. Assembly elections are likely to be held in March-April.
“When the Election Commission revises the voters’ list, all political parties have the right to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs). BJP has appointed its BLAs, and we have told them to ensure ineligible names are struck off, eligible voters included, and if any correction is needed, it be made,” Sarma said.
“This is a process…even if a name has to be deleted, the person is given due notice and opportunity to present his side,” the CM told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here when asked about the opposition crying foul against the ruling party.
He maintained that the revision of electoral rolls is for the purpose of sanitising it, and if no names could have been deleted or included, there would have been no need for the exercise.
He underlined that all political parties can appoint their BLAs and raise complaints with the EC regarding the rolls.
On Congress’s charge of ‘vote chori’, Sarma said, “How can vote chori have taken place when election hasn’t happened yet? When the Election Commission’s process is on, and no (final) list has been published, where is the question of vote chori?”
Asked about the opposition parties' filing a police complaint, he said, “Very good. They should file the case.”
The five opposition parties, in the police complaint, alleged that the state BJP president “instructed the BJP MLAs to take necessary steps for deletion of names in 60 LACs and also entrusted Hon'ble Minister Shri Ashok Singhal in a Zoom meeting held on 04/01/2026”.
“This is the evil design to delete the names of supporters of opposition parties from the electoral rolls,” it claimed, urging the police to secure the footage of the video conference involving Saikia as it “contains crucial evidence”.
The opposition parties claimed that this was a “larger conspiracy to delete the names of large numbers of genuine voters from the electoral rolls”.
“Therefore, you are requested to register a case under proper sections of penal law and take necessary steps to book the conspirators to save democracy,” the complaint said.
A police officer said the matter is being looked into.
In a separate memorandum submitted to the CEO, the opposition parties raised similar allegations and urged the CEO to restrain the CM, the BJP state president and other unauthorised persons from interfering in the revision of the electoral rolls.
They also asked the CEO to enquire into its accusation that the ruling party was conspiring of omitting voters who were supporters of the opposition camp.
The Raijor Dal has sent a separate complaint over the matter to the chief election commission, alleging conspiracy to illegally delete 10,000 opposition votes per constituency in the state ahead of the Assembly polls.
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Bypolls: K'taka Cong Minority Abdul Jabbar chief resigns amid allegations of 'internal conspiracy'
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress Minority Department President K Abdul Jabbar announced his resignation from the post on Saturday, a day after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of "conspiring" to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Jabbar, an MLC, was an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Davanagere South Assembly segment.
"It has been an honor for me to serve as Chairman of the KPCC Minority department and have worked to the best of my ability during assembly elections 2023 and followed by Parliament polls and many such occasions whenever the party needed the minority department and showed results. I have toured the entire state of Karnataka and worked to align the minorities with Congress values and principles. Most of it is available in the public domain," Jabbar has said in a letter to the party.
"Minority voters and minority office bearers are the backbone of our great Congress party and certainly deserve better," he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, confirmed Jabbar's resignation.
"I won't speak about this now, I have got some reports. The Minority President has submitted his resignation. I will verify things, I will seek a report from local leaders after that I will speak," he told reporters in response to a question on internal conspiracy.
A rift within the Karnataka Congress surfaced on Friday, a day after the bypolls to two Assembly constituencies in the state, as a group of Muslim leaders alleged a "conspiracy" by some of their own senior party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
However, they asserted that despite efforts by some within to project that Congress "betrayed" Muslims, the party candidate Samarth Mallikarjun will win in Davanagere South, the constituency where the community has a significant presence.
They said the party finally named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate after considering all factors and taking all Muslim leaders into confidence. Despite this, a massive campaign, including from some within the party, projected the Congress as having "betrayed" the minorities by denying them tickets.
Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano, and other Congress leaders addressed a joint press conference on Friday, claiming an "internal conspiracy".
According to party sources, these Muslim leaders have also complained to AICC and state party leadership, alleging "internal sabotage" in Davanagere South.
Though the leaders did not name anyone, several party sources said their attack was directed at State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and Jabbar among others.
Khan, who had openly demanded the Davanagere South ticket for a Muslim candidate, initially stayed away from campaigning in the constituency, citing his Kerala poll responsibilities.
However, he addressed a press meet with Samarth's father and Minister SS Mallikarjun at the request of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Jabbar too had not actively participated in the campaigning, despite hailing from Davanagere.
Bypolls for Davanagere South were held along with Bagalkot on Thursday. The election was necessitated following the death of sitting MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti respectively. Samarth is the grandson of Shivashankarappa.
Muslim disgruntlement appears to be a concern for the Congress in Davanagere South. With 14 of the 25 candidates in the fray belonging to the community, there are apprehensions within the party about a split in votes, which could benefit the BJP.
Given its significant presence in the constituency, the Muslim community strongly demanded the Congress ticket for Davanagere South. Some party factions had opposed giving the ticket to the Shamanur family.
Although the Congress was successful in persuading rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan to withdraw from the contest, he remained in the fray as the move came after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
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