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Thousands of SP-RLD men to keep an eye on counting in west UP
Samajwadi party’s district president in Meerut Rajpal Singh said that all 7 candidates of the alliance in Meerut had been directed to arrange at least 1,000 supporters from their respective constituencies who would remain around two counting centres to foil any attempt of rigging under the influence of the ruling party.
MEERUT Thousands of supporters of SP- RLD alliance will remain present around counting centres on March10 (day of counting) to ensure fair counting and foil any chance of ‘irregularities.’
SP and RLD leaders have directed all candidates to arrange at least 1,000 supporters from their respective constituencies who would remain around counting centres on the day of counting in order to mount pressure on officials for fair counting of votes.
Meanwhile, the district administration in Meerut has allowed three representatives of a candidate to stay at counting centres until counting begins on March 10.
Samajwadi party’s district president in Meerut Rajpal Singh said that three representatives of each candidate of the alliance were staying day and night at two counting centres in Meerut in order to keep a watch on stored EVMs.
Singh said that all 7 candidates of the alliance in Meerut had been directed to arrange at least 1,000 supporters from their respective constituencies who would remain around two counting centres to foil any attempt of rigging under the influence of the ruling party.
Singh further said, “We can’t take risk in counting of votes after witnessing how the ruling party leaders and supporters pressurized elected members of panchayat to vote in favour of BJP and officials also helped them”.
Meerut has seven constituencies and the counting of four constituencies (Meerut city, Meerut Cantt, Meerut south and Kithore) would be carried out at Lohia Nagar mandi and counting of Sardhana, Hastinapur and Siwalkhas will be on Agriculture University campus.
Similarly, counting of three constituencies of Baghpat ( Baghpat, Baraut and Chhaprauli) will be held in Khekra.
RLD’s national secretary Kuldere Ujjwal said at least 10,000 supporters of the alliance would remain present during counting.
Ujjwal shared that RLD fielded Mamta Kishore for the post of Nagar Panchayat president during panchayat elections in June last year. She was kept in a hotel of Bharatpur in Rajasthan so that leaders of the ruling party could not approach her before polling.
A woman calling herself Mamta Kishore reached the collectorate and withdrew the nomination of Manta Kishore. Ujjwal said that surprisingly, the district magistrate allowed her to withdraw the name without verification.
Ujjwal said under such circumstances, they could not believe officials. During the Mamta episode, the district administration admitted its wrongdoing only after thousands of parry supporters gathered there and staged protest, he said, adding, “The strength of these supporters would help in ensuring fair counting.”
RLD’s district president in Muzaffarnagar Prabhat Tomar and SP leaders and have given similar calls to candidates and their supporters. Leaders of both parties will also be present at the counting centres. They believe that in case of any irregularities during counting, thousands of supporters will reach there to mount pressure for fair counting.
Meanwhile, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has also expressed his apprehension about rigging. He also has called upon farmers to keep a close watch on counting centres on counting day.
