Congress president poll: Tharoor's team demands all votes from UP be deemed invalid

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, October 19

Even as counting of votes for the Congress presidential election was underway, election agents of candidate Shashi Tharoor raised serious doubts on the integrity of the election process, alleging voter fraud in Uttar Pradesh and demanding that all votes cast in the state be declared invalid.

The agents of Tharoor submitted a detailed representation to Madhusudan Mistry, Chairman of the Congress Election Authority, alleging extremely serious irregularities in UP polling.

All votes from UP be deemed invalid, they urged.

Tharoor's team alleged that they suspected voter fraud in the election in UP apart from several other violations of the election authority's instructions.

“We suspect voter fraud in UP. There were delegates who were not present in Lucknow on the day of the voting but their votes were cast. There were complaints from people about not being allowed to cast their vote since others had already cast the vote on their behalves. Also at the end of the polling in UP there was no polling sheet which should have been signed by polling agents of both sides.

“This did not happen in any other state and is a clear violation of your instructions" the agents of Tharoor said to Mistry.

They also alleged that improper sealing of ballot boxes was done in Uttar Pradesh and at least three unauthorized persons were present in the polling booth in Lucknow on the day of the voting.

The agents of Tharoor also named some Congress leaders who, they alleged, "were present in different polling booths in Lucknow to influence voters."

Tharoor's agents said he did not contest the election to accept business as usual.

"We are ready to fight for the integrity of this election. Winning or losing matters little given that both contestants are part of the same family. However, it matters greatly to our campaign, volunteers and supporters that we ensure that the Congress emerges stronger after this election," the letter to Mistry says.

Tharoor's team said no election process can be perfect. "We accepted numerous violations of your guidelines by AICC and PCC leaders. We kept quiet in the party's interest when we saw unjust treatment that prevented us from operating on a level playing field. However this can no longer continue," the letter says.

The letter adds that the election cannot be deemed free and fair if the tainted process of UP is allowed to stand.

"We demand that all votes from UP be deemed invalid. We reserve the right to do what we believe is in the best interests of the party," the letter warned.

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