Bengaluru: A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie".
With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other's jugular, each claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party.
Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh.
Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjewala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on the tickets of the saffron party.
Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar had called a press conference Tuesday midnight where he said besides the cards, form 6A (application for inclusion of name in electoral roll by an overseas elector) with counterfoils were found. He said that the colour in the counterfoil appeared unusual and that an inquiry was on.
Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with a hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police after BJP workers informed it about the racket, and demanded a thorough forensic inquiry.
The Congress hit back with a vengeance, claiming BJP was making such allegations because it was aware of its imminent defeat.
"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 to influence the results of the elections," Surjewala told reporters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the voters of Karnataka to not "forgive" the Congress party in the Assembly elections after the seizure of "fake" voter I-cards in Bengaluru.