‘Vote theft': Unease in BJD ranks as party protests, but at a distance from INDIA

Indian Express

2 days ago

While the 'vote theft' allegations levelled against the BJP by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have seemingly galvanised the Opposition, the absence of the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from the August 11 protest march to the Election Commission's office has raised eyebrows in Odisha's political circles.
Party insiders said BJD MPs were neither asked to join the protest nor issue 'adverse comments', sending out the impression that the party was not in the mood to adopt a confrontational approach towards the BJP's central leadership.
The BJD's move to stay away from the protest has baffled party leaders also because Patnaik was the first leader to approach the EC over alleged 'discrepancies' in last year's simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha. Many BJD leaders believe that such a stance demotivates grassroots-level cadre. 'After the 2024 loss, we decided to be a strong and vibrant Opposition, and stop extending issue-based support to the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre. Our activities are raising suspicions among the people,' said a senior BJD leader on the condition of anonymity.
Even as the party said it would move the Orissa High Court against the EC on the issue, another BJD leader said that the party had met the poll panel twice with 'fact-based evidence' of discrepancies in the 2024 poll process. 'When the Opposition united on the issue, we chose to remain silent. Who will believe that we are in the Opposition and are against the BJP?' the leader asked.
In its petition submitted to the EC last December, the BJD had flagged three major concerns – the 'difference' between the total votes polled at each booth and the number of votes counted in the corresponding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the difference in the votes cast for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections despite them being held simultaneously, and the 'huge difference' between voter turnouts released on polling day and the final figure, which the EC released two days later.
According to BJD spokesperson Amar Patnaik, the difference between turnouts ranged between 15% and 30% in half of the 147 Assembly seats. 'We submitted facts-based evidence to the EC eight months ago but are yet to get a satisfactory reply from them,' he added.
The BJD has also alleged that the EC refused to provide Form 17C – which records voter turnout for each polling booth – citing the sub-judice nature of the petitions related to the elections.
However, claiming that petitions have been filed only with regard to 28 Assembly seats, Amar Patnaik asked, 'Why has the EC not provided Form 17C of other constituencies?'
On Gandhi's 'vote theft' allegations, the BJD spokesperson said that his party had already been demanding an independent audit of the electoral process and that the Congress was just echoing their views.
The latest unease comes close on the heels of the BJD grappling with a 'rebellion' in the wake of a change in the party's stand over the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament.
While Patnaik and the BJD had been vocal on their opposition to the Waqf Bill repeatedly, the party shifted its stand just ahead of the voting for the Bill, deciding not to issue a whip and leave voting to its individual party MPs as per their 'conscience'.
The BJD does not have any MP in the Lok Sabha. Of the BJD's seven MPs in the Upper House, three voted for the Bill and three against it, with Debashish Samantaray abstaining.
Reacting to the issue, Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati said 'the fear of agencies is forcing the BJD to stay mum' while a BJP leader said Patnaik's party was best placed to answer why it did not join the Opposition's protest.
Patnaik is seemingly facing another tricky situation with regard to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. With the party yet to make its stand clear on the EC's decision to hold the exercise across the country, the Congress has latched on to the issue and accused the BJD of 'going soft' on the BJP.
All eyes are now on the approach that the BJD takes towards the September 9 election to choose the next Vice-President after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21.