Ex-PM Devegowda warns Oppn of electoral losses over ‘vote chori’ claims

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister HD Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would “suffer” if they continue to raise allegations of “vote chori” and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.

Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery of the Prime Minister “in the streets and on the public platform”.

“We also lost elections, but we never mocked any Prime Minister or public institution...This (India) is a very big country. A large country...Remember my friends, please, by using the words ‘vote chori’ you are going to suffer in the coming days,” Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.

He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by “blaming Narendra Modi’s leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters” through the claims of “vote chori”.

“What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify,” Devegowda said.

The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.

“We have never used such a word even when (former prime minister) Indira Gandhi got 400 seats, when (ex-prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi got 400 seats...Congress will suffer for raising slogans like vote chori and saying democracy is in danger. You are fear-mongering the people and creating suspicion in people’s minds,” Devegowda said.

He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding the inclusion of “18,000 votes” (voters) in Kerala.

“Why am I telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system,” said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.

He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.