Cancel postal ballots polled so far in Madhya Pradesh: Digvijaya Singh to EC

BHOPAL: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday demanded that the Election Commission cancel the postal ballots polled so far for the November 3 Madhya Pradesh by-elections as candidates have yet not been given the list of such voters.

Earlier in the day, Congress workers staged a protest outside the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer here. Later, a three-member delegation led by Singh met the Election Commission (EC) officials.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Singh said, "Our main demands were that postal ballots polled so far be cancelled and a list of such voters be provided to all candidates.

"The Congress leader said the officials informed that the EC is going to hold a meeting on the issue on Tuesday. He also said the transfers of government officials in the bypoll-bound districts should be stopped and only those officials, against whom a complaint was lodged and was verified, should be removed. Singh alleged that some police officials were influencing voters in favour of the ruling BJP. He thanked the EC for removing some police officials against whom complaints were made.

"We are keeping an eye on the police officers against whom complaints are reaching to us. We warn them that Congress leaders know how to deal with such elements whether we stay in the government or not, though we are returning to power," the Congress veteran said.

Alleging that police officers in the Gwalior-Chambal region were doing "netagiri" (leadership), he said the Congress has been taking it seriously.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused state Congress president Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh of threatening the government officers and employees.

"Kamal Nath ji and Digvijay Singh ji are threatening the officers and employees nowadays after anticipating their possible defeat. Words like we will see, we will deal with it are being used," Chouhan said in a tweet.

"We appeal to the Election Commission to take suo motu cognisance on this issue," he added.

By-elections to 28 Assembly seats in the state are scheduled on November 3.

25 of these seats fell vacant after sitting Congress MLAs resigned and joined the BJP, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led state government.

Besides, three seats fell vacant due to the death of their sitting MLAs.