SP, BSP and Congress join hands to keep close watch at counting venue

ALLAHABAD: Party workers of Samajwadi Party (SP) along with those of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress are sitting in front of Mundra Mandi, the venue where counting of votes would take place on May 23, to keep a watch of the strong room.
The presence of a large number of party workers in front of the venue started from the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday. The party workers reached the venue to lodge their protest after frequent power failure was reported from the venue. The protestors were alleging that the power is being deliberately cut to exchange the EVM’s.
“Our men would keep a close eye on the activities around the strong room as we are apprehensive of some unlawful activities including changing the EVM’s by the administration who want the BJP candidates to win, be it by hook or crook”, said R S Patel, the gathbhandahan candidate from Allahabad.
At post-midnight, large numbers of party workers from all the three major opposition parties reached mundera mandi and started protesting. They were angry about the issue of a repetitive power failure at the venue and strong room.
Soon after arriving, several of the party workers started capturing the situation in the mobiles, clippings of which were shared at several social media on Wednesday. some among them went to live broadcast and even claimed that the power was restored after they have started making video clips.
“We are here at the venue and many a times the power has gone, when the SDO is being called, he is not picking up, which shows everyone is involved in the conspiracy of trying to change the EVM’s to suit a particular party”, said Haseeb Ahamad, general secretary of city unit of Congress party.
Following the protest, number of party workers, across party lines, were seen sitting at the venue. Along with this, agents of different candidates in fray have been asked by their leaders to be vigilant till the counting is over on May 23.
“We have asked the agents and party workers to be extra alert as the ruling party could go to any extent”, said SP’s state spokesperson, K K Srivastava.
SDO Bamrauli, Nitin Singh said, “There was no power failure at the strong room as I am myself keeping a close vigil on the arrangements, people had circulated some rumours and things are under control”.
Meanwhile, the district election officer and district magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami said, “None of the party workers of any political party is sitting on dharna, they have the right to sit and keep a vigil for themselves and we are obliged to respect the norms laid down under election commission guidelines”. Counting would commence from 8 am and we would follow the standard procedure, he added.