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Election Commission panel in Chapra begins poll probe
While Laloo and Rudy deposed before EC team, SP and BSP too charged RJD of rigging Chapra polls.
A two-member team of the Election Commission on Sunday began an inquiry into the complaints of booth capturing and violence allegedly by ruling RJD activists during the April 26 polling for Chapra Lok Sabha seat, where party supremo Laloo Yadav crossed swords with Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Laloo Prasad Yadav the probe team that there were "no disturbances" during the April 26 polling, even as BSP and SP joined Rudy to demand countermanding of election in the constituency alleging irregularities.
Emerging from an in-camera meeting with EC team Yadav told reporters he had denied the charge of hungama (disturbances) during polling in Chapra and said the elections were peaceful and fair.
BSP and SP candidates alleged before the poll panel that district authorities connived with ruling RJD to rig the poll in favour of Yadav and demanded countermanding of election.
BSP nominee Abhay Raj Kishore told reporters he complained to the panel that dalits were prevented from casting votes and district administration worked as "an agency of RJD". He demanded that the election be annulled and polling held afresh in Chapra.
SP candidate Bachu Prasad Biru alleged the RJD men let loose a reign of terror and indulged in large-scale booth grabbing and violence.
Rudy also made a half-an-hour deposition before the poll panel and told reporters that he tendered evidences with video-clippings and other facts and figures in support of his demand to countermand the election.
Earlier, the team comprising KJ Rao and Ananth Kumar had arrived at Chapra from Patna stopping at several places under Sonepur assembly segment of the constituency and inquiring about the situation during elections.
They walked down to villagers, leaving behind state officials and securitymen accompanying them.
While locals at Gangajal impressed upon the members of the poll panel that election was peaceful, hardly five kms away at Bharpura, voters alleged that the district administration was unfair and attempted to rig the elections in favour of the RJD chief.
The commission officials alighted from their vehicle at Sitaganj and Dumri also where a group of RJD supporters sitting on dharna alleged that BJP activists prevented them from voting and captured booths.
The Commission had on April 29 ordered a detailed inquiry into the complaints of booth capturing in Chapra constituency following appeals by NDA to countermand the polls in view of largescale violence and rigging allegedly by RJD activists.
