BJP mobilises cadre in UP over SIR amid concerns of voter roll deletions

Lucknow: Alarmed over the possible deletion of a large number of names from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in Uttar Pradesh has intensified internal meetings and issued directives to legislators and public representatives to spread out across villages and closely monitor voter registration.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has claimed that more than four lakh voter names have already been deleted, alleging that nearly 90 per cent of them belonged to BJP supporters.

On Sunday, the party held another high level meeting in Lucknow to review and recalibrate its strategy on SIR. Legislators, district presidents and district in charges from across the state attended the meeting held at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary and Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak addressed party leaders and workers. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh was also present at the workshop.

Leaders were informed that only four days remain in the ongoing SIR exercise and were asked to stay alert to ensure that BJP supporters get their names added to the electoral rolls at the earliest.

They were also directed to verify voter lists at their respective booths after the publication of the revised lists on December 31. Instructions were issued to identify fake or ineligible voters and file objections for the removal of such names. Sources said special focus was laid on identifying illegal voters, including suspected Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals.