The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Congress will get working majority, says Kharge

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Saturday, May 24, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress will get working majority, says Kharge

Special Correspondent

‘Party’s chances have improved after third phase of polling’

BJP, JD(S) accused of distributing money, liquor
Action against top officials sought for hooch deaths

M. Mallikarjun Kharge

Bangalore: President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that his party would get a working majority in the just-concluded Assembly elections and form the government.

Mr. Kharge, who is contesting from the Chitapur Assembly Constituency (SC) in Gulbarga district, said the chances of the Congress winning the elections had improved in the final phase of polling.

He said that the party was not pessimistic about the results unless there was some miracle.

He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) had distributed money and liquor to voters during the elections, without any qualms.

Reiterating the criticism against the Election Commission for not heeding the Congress demand for holding elections after preparing the electoral rolls, Mr. Kharge said that 20 per cent of the voters, mostly labour class and farmers, were deprived of their rights.

Citing the case of polling booth no. 98 near Wadi Station in his Chitapur constituency, he said that names of some 143 voters had been removed a few months ago by the Commission.

But, they returned with their ID cards and were allowed to vote. An election observer, who saw this, had reportedly ordered a repoll in the booth, he said.

Asked in how many constituencies, such mistakes had occurred and to what extent this had affected the chances of the Congress, Mr. Kharge said that this had not been studied.

He said that the commission should not repeat this mistake in the elections which would be held in future.

Many voters were illiterate and should not be deprived of their right to vote.

The KPCC president alleged in many booths the polling officers had disallowed a large number of people from casting their votes, even after producing one of the 20 documents to prove their identity.

Hooch tragedy

On the hooch tragedy, the Congress leader demanded action against top officials and not a few juniors such as sub-inspectors, responsible for the death of people.

On the basis of important recommendations of various inquiry commissions and committees on the liquor tragedies in the State, a stringent law should be enacted to avoid recurrence of such incidents, Mr.Kharge added.

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