Omar questions claims of advantage for BJP in West Bengal polls

 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned claims of advantage for BJP in West Bengal, alleging manipulation in voter rolls and raising concerns over SIR.

Assembly elections are underway in West Bengal in two phases. While the first phase got over on April 23, the second will be conducted on April 29.

The first phase recorded over 92 per cent polling.

Speaking to reporters here, Abdullah said the focus on voting percentage was misleading and did not reflect the ground reality of voter participation.

“Those saying advantage to the BJP quote either from the press notes sent by the saffron party or who have not gone deeply into the data,” he claimed.

He further claimed that the total number of voters in West Bengal had decreased compared to the previous election, even as the percentage turnout appeared higher.

“The percentage has increased because you (ECIII) have reduced the number of voters.

Due to the SIR (Special Intensive Revision of electoral roll), so many voters have been removed.

Compared to the previous election, the total number of voters has gone down this time, even though the percentage has gone up,” he said.

Alleging large-scale deletions from electoral rolls, Abdullah, who is also the National Conference leader, said, “In Mamata Banerjee’s own constituency, 25 per cent of voters have been removed.

In West Bengal, there are 70 seats where the number of voters removed from the list is more than the BJP’s margin of defeat in the last election.

That means in 70 seats, the margin itself has been wiped out. If this is not a weapon, then what is?”