Apprehending misuse of Government machinery by ruling Samajwadi Party, BJP on Saturday asked the Election Commission to deploy adequate Central forces in all the polling stations in eastern Uttar Pradesh to ensure free and fair polling on May 7 and 12.
Among the constituencies going to polls in the last two phases is Varanasi where BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is contesting. Varanasi goes to polls on May 12.“The BJP urges upon the Election Commission to ensure the deputation of Central forces at all polling booths in the lok Sabha constituencies of eastern Uttar Pradesh which are going to polls,” BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in Delhi.BJP leader Amit Shah, while speaking in Varanasi, apprehended that the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh might misuse the Government machinery to influence the poll process in last two phases of polling in the State.
“We demand from the Election Commission deployment of paramilitary forces on all booths in UP to avoid incidents of booth capturing by SP men,” Shah said.“The State police and administration might not be able to stop such incidents of booth capturing by SP men because of the influence of the ruling SP Government and the deployment of Central security forces in UP in the last two phases of polling on May 7 and May 12 is a must so that polling is not affected,” he said.Prasad said the EC cannot take the plea of inadequate availability of Central forces since polling in major parts of the country are over.