Karnataka election: Shiv Sena chides Modi, says 'don't mock Rahul'; updates

Three days before Karnataka Assembly election 2018, a 'fake' voter ID row has erupted in the poll-bound state, with BJP and Congress accusing each other of involvement. Catch all the update here

A massive controversy has rocked Karnataka after nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards were seized from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, prompting the BJP to demand countermanding of the election claiming Congress was behind the racket, a charge dismissed by the latter as a "lie". With just three days left before Karnataka goes to poll, the BJP and Congress, the two main contenders for power, went after each other's jugular, each claiming the flat belonged to a woman associated with the rival party. Addressing a press conference, Union minister Prakash Javadekar claimed Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munirathna Naidu was behind the alleged racket, which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh.

Congress spokesman Rajdeep Singh Surjawala hit right back, alleging that the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and both contested Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections on the tickets of the saffron party.

Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar had called a press conference last midnight where he said besides the cards, form 6A (application for inclusion of name in electoral roll by an overseas elector) with counterfoils were found. He said that the colour in the counterfoil appeared unusual, and that an inquiry was on. Javadekar said thousands of fake cards with hologram, lamination machines, and computers were seized by police after BJP workers informed it about the racket, and demanded a thorough forensic inquiry. "This is the philosophy of the Congress....if voters do not vote for you, create fake voters," he said, claiming a "fake voter ID printing factory" was being run in Manjula's flat. Manjula, he said, was once associated with the BJP but was now with the Congress, and demanded her immediate arrest.

Polling in the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 will be held on May 12 and the results will be out on May 15. 

Here are the top 10 developments around the 'fake' voter id issue in Karnataka and the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 campaign:

1) Rahul has right to say he wants to be PM, says Sena: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Rahul Gandhi today for publicly declaring his prime ministerial ambition, BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena said it was the Congress president's democratic right to express his stand and no one should make fun of it.

Speaking to reporters here, Sena's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut also said that his party considers NCP president Sharad Pawar a worthy candidate for the prime minister's post.

"In a democracy, Rahul Gandhi has the right to state that he wants to become prime minister. No one should make fun of it. Modi became prime minister through this right. In fact, at that time (in 2014) the stand (of many) was that (L K) Advani should have become the prime minister," he said.

"Defeat Rahul Gandhi and stop him (from becoming prime minister). There is no reason to get restless on his stand," he suggested.

2) Don't know anything, says Siddaramaiah: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday refused to comment on the fake voter ID row, saying he didn't know anything about the issue.

Siddaramaiah while addressing the media said, "I don't know anything about this, there is Election Commission to look into it."

The Karnataka Chief earlier in the day accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing the government machinery.

3) Nearly 10,000 voter IDs seized from a Bengaluru flat: The Election Commission of Karnataka on Tuesday confirmed that they recovered 9,746 electors photo identity cards from an apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli area, which falls under the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency. In a midnight briefing on Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer for Karnataka Sanjiv Kumar said that according to the preliminary verification, the ID cards were of actual electors and appeared to be prima facie genuine.   

According to the state election commission, the voter ID cards were kept neatly in small bundles that were wrapped in paper, with some names and phone numbers on the paper. 

The recovery was made during a surprise visit to Parkview apartment in Jalahalli area, which belongs to Manjula Nanjamuri and was allegedly rented to a person named Rakesh. 

Apart from the IDs, five laptops, one printer, and two large steel trunks with counterfoil strips resembling acknowledgement slips of Form 6 used for addition of names onto the electoral rolls were also recovered from the apartment during the raid. Kumar added that the significance of the counterfoils can only be verified after due investigation.

"These may be numbering around a lakh. There is a need for further verification and inquiry. These have photographs and a printed number in magenta colour which is different than the officially available Form 6 which has no printed number," Kumar said. 

The state election commission added that an FIR has been registered in the matter and further investigations will be conducted on the same. It further assured that in the next 24 hours, when more information is available, firm action will be taken. 

Read the previous day's developments in the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 campaign: Karnataka election: Modi besotted with Congress-free India, says Sonia 

4) BJP demands countermanding of polls in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, blames Congress for 'fake' voter IDs: After the state EC's announcement, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday night demanded that elections in the Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency of Karanataka be countermanded in the light of the revelation of seizure of 'fake' voter IDs.

Speaking to media over the matter, BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Congress is losing public support and they are trying hard to rig the upcoming elections in Karnataka by undemocratic ways. So, we demand countermanding of polls in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency."

5) Congress says the owner of the Bengaluru flat from where voter cards were found is a BJP leader: The Congress Party refuted the 'fake' voter ID cards allegation leveled against it by the BJP and alleged that the flat from where the documents were recovered belonged to a BJP leader. Addressing the media, Congress spokesperson in-charge Randeep Surjewala claimed that Manjula Nanjamuri, who owned the flat from where the identity cards were recovered, is a BJP leader and an ex-corporator.  

He alleged that Nanjamuri rented her own flat to her son Rakesh, who contested an earlier corporation election on a BJP ticket in 2015. "The BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP elections on a BJP ticket," Surjewala said.

The Congress leader also claimed that the apartment was not raided by police or officials of the Election Commission but by BJP workers. He further said that the BJP is seeking attention by levelling allegations ahead of the May 12 polls. "BJP is doing midnight drama as if Congress has something to do in the recovery of these 9,746 Voter ID cards," he said. He termed the entire incident a part of a conspiracy by the BJP, in which they stand exposed.

Surjewala showed the list of the BJP candidates for the BBMP elections in which Rakesh's name was mentioned from the Jalahalli ward. "On Sl. No 16 is the name Rakesh from Jalahalli ward. Is this not proof that Rakesh is in BJP?" he said. 

6) Congress says Javadekar lying about Manjula Nanjamari: Surjewala asserted that the BJP was running a factory of lies in Karnataka and that the party's drama had been exposed. He hit out at Javadekar and said that he had the "audacity to lie by saying Manjula Nanjamari and her son Rakesh don't belong to the BJP".   

7) BJP alleges huge amount of cash recovered from Siddaramaiah's constituency: Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday also alleged that a huge amount of cash was recovered from the Badami constituency, from where incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting the Karnataka polls, and asked the Election Commission to deploy a special election officer in Badami.  

Earlier on Tuesday, the Income Tax (I-T) Department had conducted raids at a resort in Badami, where the Congress leaders are lodging while campaigning. 

"In Badami, from where Siddaramaiah is contesting, a huge amount of cash was recovered from that place. This is also a shocking incident. So, the EC should put up special election officer in Badami and they should deploy more paramilitary forces," Javadekar added. 

8) BJP alleges Congress' Raja Rajeshwari Nagar candidate behind 'fake' IDs: The BJP had earlier alleged that the Congress candidate from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, Munirathna Naidu, was behind the 'fake' ID cards. "Close to 20,000 fake Voters ID card recovered from @INCIndia's Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency candidate Muniratna," Karnataka BJP tweeted. 

9) JD(S) slams both BJP, Congress for using 'unethical means': In view of the recovery of voter ID cards from a Bengaluru apartment, Janata Dal (Secular) Secretary General Danish Ali on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to ensure that the Karnataka Assembly election is free and fair. While speaking to news agencies, Ali accused the Congress and the BJP of following unethical means to win the Assembly polls.  

"We appeal to the EC that there should be no compromise with free and fair elections. It is a serious matter. All unethical means are being adopted by both national parties (Congress and BJP)," Ali said. 

10) Snapshot of Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency: There are 435,439 electors in the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, which has an elector population ratio of 75.43. During the last special summary revision, 25,825 additions were made. Further, 19,012 additions were done during continuous updation and there have been total deletions of 8,817 persons.   

With agency inputs