BJP demands countermanding of polls in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar

The BJP today demanded countermanding of polls in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat in Karnataka after thousands of "fake" voter identity cards were recovered from a flat there.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar alleged Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh.

Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police yesterday.

"This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he told a press conference.

Javadekar demanded a thorough probe by cyber security agencies into the incident.

Calling the incident a "subversion of democracy", he alleged the Congress was making attempts to show voters from outside the state as its natives.

He demanded immediate arrest of Manjula, the owner of the flat, for her alleged involvement in the racket.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, dubbed the incident as "stage managed".

He claimed Manjula was associated with the BJP and her son Rakesh had contested the municipal corporation election on a BJP ticket.

"The Election Commission must take action, and a police case be registered," he said, adding the BJP was up to such tactics as defeat was staring it in the face.