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'Headline management': Congress questions LS poll schedule coinciding with Nyay yatra conclusion
Jairam Ramesh also raised questions over the election conduction process and alleged apprehensions regarding EVM
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday questioned the date of the Lok Sabha elections schedule announcement as it is coinciding with the concluding event of the two-month Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which started from Manipur on January 14 and would conclude on Saturday in Mumbai.
Read here: Lok Sabha polls schedule to trigger Model Code of Conduct rules. What changes from tomorrow?
Dubbing the development as a headline management event, Ramesh claimed that to sideline party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra conclusion's mega event at Chaityabhoomi Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak in Mumbai at around 5:30 pm tomorrow, it was decided that the schedule for the General Assembly elections would be done at 3pm on Saturday though it could have been done today or day after tomorrow.
"Rahul Gandhi will be at Chaityabhoomi Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will conclude at 5:30 pm (on Saturday). In the meanwhile, (Lok Sabha) elections are going to be announced at 3 pm. This is just headlines management, since it (announcement of poll schedule) could have been done today or day after tomorrow," news agency PTI quoted Ramesh as saying.
The Congress leader, however, said that he welcomed the announcement of the decision as the election works as the oxygen for democracy. He also raised questions over the election conduction process and alleged apprehensions regarding EVM. He also said that the agencies and organisations are working under the pressure of the central government.
Read here: Election Commission to announce Lok Sabha election schedule tomorrow
"We have questions regarding how elections will take place? For the last 10 months, we have been trying to meet the Election Commission, however, we are not getting any chance. The INDIA alliance parties want the usage of EVM but also of VVPATs, so people can understand that their ballot is correct; many have raised apprehensions regarding EVM...." Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India announced to release the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and three state assemblies on Saturday. The announcement for the Lok Sabha elections will be made during a press conference at 3 pm in New Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan. The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 16 and a new House has to be constituted before that.
Read here: Rahul Gandhi led ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ to culminate in Shivaji Park on March 17
Last time the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 10 and held in seven phases beginning April 11. Votes were counted on May 23.
(With inputs from agencies)
