(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

The Youth Congress on Tuesday escalated its nationwide campaign against alleged "vote theft," accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of manipulating electoral processes in Haryana and Bihar. The organisation announced a major protest march in Shimla on November 20, targeting what it termed as "systematic theft of people's mandate".

Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Shesh Narayan Ojha, National General Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress and Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress in-charge, alleged that the BJP had "usurped power by stealing votes" and said irregularities in the voter rolls posed a "serious threat to democracy". Speaking to ANI after the press conference, Ojha said, "The questions raised by Rahul Gandhi are extremely serious for the future of our democracy. He has presented facts showing that the BJP has snatched the people's mandate and captured power. Manipulations in the voter list are part of a larger conspiracy."

Allegations of Voter List Manipulation

Ojha claimed that large-scale discrepancies were uncovered during the Congress party's verification of electoral rolls. "We found thousands of votes registered against imaginary houses. Names of several deceased persons are still active. Many individuals have multiple votes in their name. In one case, 22 votes were registered in the name of a Brazilian model. In another constituency, 100 photographs of the same woman appeared in the voter list," he alleged.

"At one booth, 223 votes were registered in the name of an elderly woman who does not even exist. This clearly shows that the mandate of Haryana has been stolen with the collusion of the BJP and the Election Commission."He further said.

Ojha demanded an immediate, impartial investigation by the Election Commission into all discrepancies highlighted by the Congress.

Youth Congress to March to Raj Bhavan on Nov 20

Calling the situation "a crisis for the democratic rights of citizens," Ojha said the Youth Congress would hold a massive protest against alleged vote theft in Shimla. "Across the country, Youth Congress is protesting against the loot of democracy. In Himachal Pradesh, we will organise a major agitation in Shimla on November 20. The national president of Youth Congress, the entire state body, the state president and senior leaders will participate. We will march from the Congress office to the Raj Bhavan," he said.

He added that despite repeatedly raising concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission, there had been no satisfactory response. "We have been consistently questioning the role and conduct of the Election Commission of India, but we are not getting any meaningful answers. Whether it is the data shared by Rahul Gandhi in Haryana, Karnataka or the recent Bihar elections, none of these serious questions have been addressed," Ojha told ANI.

The Youth Congress has also linked its agitation to the opposition's broader national campaign titled "Vote Chor Gaddi Chhor", launched after the Congress accused the BJP of electoral manipulation in multiple states. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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