[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 20 Apr: The Congress party has sought the cancellation of votes of 40 Sario Sara polling station in Bameng assembly constituency under East Kameng district alleging violence by the ruling BJP candidate.
Addressing the press conference here at Arunachal Press Club on Saturday, vice president of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Mina Toko alleged that BJP candidate Doba Lamnio and his supporters attacked Sario Sara polling station and indulged in vote capturing by using violent methods.
“Doba Lamnio and his supporters numbering around 150 attacked the polling station carrying sophisticated weapons, machetes and sticks. There was an attempt to murder Dungro Saria (Gram Panchayat chairperson) and Tame Saria Ex-ASM. Both are INC election agents. Also, people who turned up to vote were physically assaulted,” alleged Mina.
Further Congress alleged that despite its candidate Kumar Waii briefing SP and the district electoral officer about the possibility of violence no action was initiated to protect voters.
“Our candidate had briefed both that Sario Sara is a sensitive polling station and the possibility of vote capturing is high. But despite prior information, no attempt was made to boost security which resulted in violence against voters,” she added.
The Congress has sought disqualification of Lamnio’s candidature alleging him of vote capturing. “We are seeking his disqualification and also cancellation of votes of Sario Sara polling station. If the election commission does not heed our demand we will start a democratic movement to seek justice,” she added.
Congress candidate Kumar Waii has lodged a complaint with General Observer, East Kameng district against Lamnio alleging vote capturing of Sario Sara polling station.
The Congress also alleged that the BJP indulged in vote-capturing in several places under the Sagalee assembly constituency. “Vote capturing was done in Sagalee and Mengio by BJP workers. Like this, in those constituencies where BJP MLAs won uncontested the vote capturing was done. BJP is indulging in dictatorship and has no regard for democratic norms,” she alleged.
Further Congress also claimed that 30 to 40 percent of EVMs malfunctioned on the voting day, raising concern among the opposition candidates.
Meanwhile, the BJP has rejected the allegation of violence and vote-capturing leveled against its candidate by Congress. “These are wild allegations and there is no evidence. In fact, it was the opposition Congress party that provoked the situation leading to violence,” said BJP spokesperson Techi Necha.
