BJP suspects misuse of state machinery in civic polls, Cong hits back

Ranchi: As curtains came down on civic poll campaign on Saturday, BJP leaders here claimed that the state govt had changed the polling centres of lakhs of electors to prevent them from exercising the franchise. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Union minister of defence Sanjay Seth claimed that members of his family were allocated different polling booths. “Earlier, all of us voted in one booth,” he said.


State BJP president Aditya Sahu, in a separate media interaction, claimed that the saffron party had sought central forces to ensure fair voting on Feb 23. “However, the state election commission did not take any step in this regard. The use of ballot papers and the state police in the elections have created apprehensions of a possible misuse of state machinery,” Sahu said.Rejecting BJP’s claims, state Congress spokesperson Rakesh Kumar Sinha said the saffron party did not have faith in the Constitution and in the police forces of states where it is not in govt. “BJP leaders are speaking out of fear of losing the election,” he claimed.