Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday challenged the BJP to dissolve Parliament and hold elections using ballot papers. He said protests against alleged vote theft will continue across the country. Kharge noted, "We'll fight, because in democracy, unless you fight, people will not be awakened," while demanding fair electoral processes.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said protests against alleged "vote chori", or vote theft, would continue across the country and challenged the BJP to dissolve Parliament and contest elections using ballot papers if it was confident of its electoral performance.
The Congress has planned a major protest in Delhi on November 1. It has alleged large-scale deletion and exclusion of voters' names from electoral rolls, particularly those of minorities and economically and socially weaker sections.
"Protests will continue against the vote chori and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. What he has done is mischief in the Commission. All parties are supporting the protest," Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru, according to news agency PTI.
Kharge said the Congress would continue its campaign to raise awareness about alleged electoral irregularities. A mock Parliament is scheduled for Friday, while a rally is planned around November 1.
Asked whether the CJP would participate in the rally, Kharge replied in the negative. "We'll fight, because in democracy, unless you fight, people will not be awakened..." he said.
Kharge was also asked about the Karnataka Legislative Council election results, in which the BJP and JD(S) won all four seats despite voting being conducted through ballot papers. He said the Congress would continue to demand ballot papers for all future elections.
"It doesn't mean that we should leave our demand because they are winning MLC polls. Once upon a time, they won only two Parliament seats when elections were held using ballot papers. Did he, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say that?" Kharge said.
He cautioned the BJP against becoming complacent over the results and questioned the significance of candidates winning by different margins. "Sometimes it happens when the BJP wins ballot paper-based elections. It does not mean that the BJP has no hold on the Election Commission," he said, adding that the party should not become arrogant over its performance.
"Okay, if that is the case, let them dissolve Parliament and go for elections on ballot paper," Kharge said.
In the elections to four vacant Legislative Council seats, the JD(S) won the Bengaluru Teachers' constituency, while the BJP retained the North-East Teachers', South-East Graduates' and West Graduates' constituencies. Kharge maintained that the Congress would continue its protests and its demand for ballot-paper voting despite these results.