Cong calls fake voter ID row 'stage-managed'

Hours after over 9,000 fake voter identity cards were found in a Bengaluru flat, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday called the incident 'stage-managed' by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to ANI after a delegation of Congress leaders met with the officials of the Election Commission (EC), Sharma said, "We have submitted a detailed memorandum, wherein we have highlighted the malpractices by the BJP and a concerted attempt being made by the ruling party at the Centre, along with the assistance of central agencies, including income tax officials. They are subverting the process of free and fair elections, targeting Congress candidates and making tactics to delay the elections by staging midnight raids."

He claimed that due to such malpractices, the BJP was facing an imminent defeat in the upcoming Karnataka elections.

"Last night raid was stage managed by the BJP, which is using huge amounts of cash and resources which are at BJP's disposal to influence voters and the elections. Secondly, It wasn't the EC or police, but BJP people who raided the flat which belongs to BJP leader and the tenant is also a BJP leader. This is all being done to ensure that free and fair polling is not conducted in Karnataka," Sharma asserted.

"Manjula Nanjamari, who is the flat owner, has fought elections and her son 'Rakesh' had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket," he added.

Sharma urged the EC to take immediate action and conduct an investigation on the matter.

Meanwhile, Sridhar Nanjamari on Wednesday rebuffed allegations and told ANI he was the only son of Manjula Nanjamuri.

"I am the only son of Manjula Nanjamari. Rakesh is my mother's nephew's son and he has got no connections with the flat in Park View apartment, as is what claimed in media," Sridhar said and added that the flat was rented out to Rangaraju.

Manjula on Wednesday too clarified that the property was not rented by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter Rakesh, as alleged by the Congress party.

For those unversed, 9,746 voter ID cards were found from a flat in SLV Park View Apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli locality.

The EC's revelation of the same at Wednesday midnight was followed by political sparring, as both BJP and Congress alleged the other's links with the concerned flat.

The EC officials later seized printers from the flat.

The BJP also demanded the cancelling the polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency where assembly elections are due on May 12 along with the rest of the state.