'Vote chori' row: Congress now alleges irregularities in voters list of 2019 Lok Sabha polls; to launch 'comprehensive audit'
NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday announced the party would hold a "comprehensive audit" to uncover alleged irregularities in the voters' list of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
"A comprehensive audit will be conducted to identify irregularities in the voters' list from the last Lok Sabha elections," news agency PTI quoted him as saying. He was speaking to reporters in Kerala's Alappuzha, which he represents in the Lok Sabha.
Venugopal claimed there were 48 constituencies where candidates of the parties which now constitute the opposition INDIA bloc lost by fewer than 50,000 votes. The Congress would carry out "extensive checks" in all these seats, he said.
The senior Congress leader added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "did not assume office with a genuine mandate", claiming this became "evident" after Congress MP and Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi's press conference revealing "evidence of electoral fraud".
"A proper investigation could force Modi to resign. Instead, the Election Commission (EC) is threatening Gandhi. It should not try to scare us," Venugopal stated.
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Gandhi on Thursday made explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through a "collusion" between the ruling BJP and the EC, citing an analysis in an assembly constituency in the party-ruled Karnataka.
The poll body has firmly rejected his allegation, and asked him for a formal oath to launch an investigation into his allegations.
However, the Congress-ex chief, who represents Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli in the Lok Sabha, has refused to do so, saying he has already taken oath on the Constitution of India.
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