'What Congress did earlier, BJP is doing now': JD(S) on voter data theft

Bengaluru: The Congress on Thursday targeted the BJP and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, alleging he is directly responsible for a corrupt electoral practice by assigning a private entity to collect door-to-door voter information. Reacting to the alleged electoral fraud by BJP, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that ruling BJP is doing something that the Congress has done previously. A political row erupted in the state after Congress alleged that the ruling BJP government is stealing the data of voters and indulging in election fraud through a private agency. The party accused Chief Minister Bommai, BBMP Special Commissioner Tushar Girinath and the Election Commission of operating as one team to steal voters` data.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Ex-CM Kumaraswamy stated, BJP has given contract to a private company to commit fraud in the elections. The company belongs to an influential minister and is located in Malleshwaram.

Also Read: Congress alleges Karnataka CM Bommai’s involved in corrupt electoral practice, seeks resignation

He further stated that earlier the same company had burnt BBMP documents during night, when the scandal surfaced. Despite indulging in similar activites in the past, Congress leaders are talking as if their integrity is intact.

Reacting to the alleged data stealing scam by ruling #BJP on the pretext of revising voters' list, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister #HDKumaraswamy said that ruling BJP is doing something that the Congress has done previously.@hd_kumaraswamy pic.twitter.com/Mj7W69wnJP — IANS (@ians_india) November 17, 2022

If Congress comes to power, they will continue with similar activities. As long as there are Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) there is no problem for BJP. The saffron party is attempting to return to power through fraudulent ways. The people should be careful about both national parties, Kumaraswamy stated, referring to BJP and Congress.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced that he will order a comprehensive probe into the alleged voters` data theft scandal and maintained that the Congress` demand for him to resign was "ridiculous".

(With agency inputs)