UP civic polls: Samajwadi Party blames BJP of electoral malpractice

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) on Saturday blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for indulging in electoral malpractices during the civic body elections in the state.

SP accused the ruling party of intimidating polling officials and opposition party candidates, bungling in voter lists and manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to win the election.

It is worth mentioning that BJP swept the local body elections in the state by winning 14 out of 16 mayoral posts across the state.

Talking to media a day after the results, Naresh Uttam, the state unit chief of Samajwadi Party, said that the BJP indulged in all undemocratic acts to ensure that it sailed through the crucial poll.

"The ruling party should realise that we have got good seats despite the fact that our chief Akhilesh yadav did not canvas for support," he said.

Uttam added that had the former Chief Minister campaigned extensively, the results would have been much different and that the BJP would have been wiped out in the urban body polls.

Also Read: Who won where? Check complete result of UP Civic Polls 2017

The BJP had nothing to project about its government and hence they not only engaged in electoral malpractices they also pressed into service the entire government machinery, including the cabinet, the SP leader said.

State spokesman of the party, Rajendra Chowdhary said the BJP had trumpeted the results as its victory though this 'was neither the truth nor the exact reality'.

"BJP has done extensive bungling and now is telling the incomplete results," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had also alleged the same and demanded that the 2019 general elections be held through ballot papers.