India News | BJP Creating Atmosphere of Fear in Ghosi: SP to Election Commission Ahead of Bypoll
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Samajwadi Party on Friday alleged the BJP is creating an atmosphere of fear for the voters, especially the minorities, ahead of the September 5 byelection to the Ghosi assembly seat in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh.
Lucknow Sep 1 (PTI) The Samajwadi Party on Friday alleged the BJP is creating an atmosphere of fear for the voters, especially the minorities, ahead of the September 5 byelection to the Ghosi assembly seat in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh.
The Samajwadi Party asked the Election Commission to ensure independent and transparent polls to maintain the faith of people in democracy and impartiality of the poll body.
A party delegation led by former Uttar Pradesh minister Rajendra Chaudhary submitted a memorandum to the state's chief electoral officer, alleging that over two dozen ministers of the BJP's state and central governments are misusing government machinery in the constituency and flouting the model code of conduct.
They are also pressurising the voters to vote for the BJP, said a party release issued here.
The Samajwadi Party has complained in the memorandum that bikes, tractors etc. parked in front of the houses in the minority-dominated areas are being forcibly picked up and taken to the police stations and an atmosphere of fear is being created among the minorities so that they do not participate in the voting.
The memorandum alleged that electricity department officials are visiting the houses of the Samajwadi Party supporters to instil fear in the guise of checking electricity metres and demanded an effective check on the working style of the ministers, leaders, police administration and others for a free, fair and fearless elections in keeping with the model code of conduct.
Chaudhary said it has come to their notice that 15 police sub-inspectors, 83 head constables and constables, and 50 women constables have been put on duty from September 2, 2023, in the Ghosi assembly constituency till the completion of elections and added there are no Yadavs and Muslims in them.
This list has been made on the instructions of the BJP ministers and leaders, he alleged.
Chaudhary said there is an attempt to reduce the voting percentage on the polling day and alleged the election is being affected by the BJP's working style.
The memorandum also stated that Kopaganj police station in-charge Amit Mishra is intimidating the voters in Ghosi by harassing them and instructing the Samajwadi Party supporters not to participate in voting.
Despite giving memorandum earlier, no action has been taken due to which Mishra's terror has increased further, the Samajwadi Party said warning if immediate action is not taken then it will not remain silent.
The release quoted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as saying that the BJP fulfils its electoral interests by putting pressure on the administration and demanded that the Election Commission should adopt a transparent process while working as an impartial, independent body so that faith in democracy and impartiality of the poll body is maintained.
The byelection is witnessing a keen contest between the BJP, which has fielded Dara Singh Chauhan, and the Samajwadi Party, which gave a ticket to former MLA Sudhakar Singh from the constituency.
Chauhan, a former minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, had switched from the BJP to the Samajwadi Party and won from the seat during the 2022 assembly elections.
He rejoined the BJP in July and his resignation from the assembly necessitated the election.
Voting for the Ghosi Assembly bypoll is scheduled for September 5 while the counting of votes will be held on September 8.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)