Dry run of ‘Centre-controlled’ polls was done in UP, replicated in WB: Akhilesh

Lucknow: The dominance of Centre-controlled officials and forces in West Bengal assembly polls was replicated from the dry run that the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI) had done during by-elections and polls held in Uttar Pradesh, said Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday.

“According to constitutional mandate, the ECI has to conduct polls in a non-partisan way, But we all saw how right from presiding officers, polling booth staff to police inspectors and constables were hand-picked and posted for poll duty in Rampur elections and by-polls (2022 Rampur assembly, and June Lok Sabha by-poll) and elections that followed. It appears that then the BJP and ECI did a dry run in UP and replicated the same template in West Bengal elections,” Akhilesh said replying to media queries at a press conference.



He said that there were reports that a parallel structure of central forces was set up alongside the state force and the state officials on poll duty. “But the West Bengal polls were people’s elections,” he said. Akhilesh said Didi (West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of Trinamool Congress) is a force by herself who has fought the elections all by herself and has won the polls as well.

Recalling how a test message of alert broadcast by the Centre was flashed to all mobile phones on Saturday, Akhilesh said the exercise reflected how deep the penetration of technology was in today’s world. “I am told even if a mobile phone has its ringer off, the alert will ring once its lands on any phone. If such things can be done through technology, then what holds the EVMs from being penetrated,” the former UP CM said.

Accusing the BJP of disseminating lies in layers, he said it was like a Sonpapdi (a dessert) which had innumerable layers. “The BJP first spreads lies about something. Thereafter, they lie about something else and cover the first lie . The party has a knack for spreading lies in layers," Akhilesh said when asked to comment on how the BJP govt was mum on rising prices and focusing on women reservation amendment bill.

About rising prices of fuel and LPG, Akhilesh said increase in fuel prices would have a cascading effect and would result in price rise of every essential commodity which had any element of transport. “BJP’s failure to check profiteering and corruption is further pushing prices up,” he said.

Meritorious UP Board students get laptops

Lucknow: Focusing on Lucknow girl Sarah Moin who was described in a TOI report as ‘Helen Keller’ for securing 98.7% marks in ISC despite being deaf, mute and blind, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said it was an inspiring tale of how parents and teachers helped the girl achieve the feat.

“The news report highlights how her mother used to draw lines on her palm to give her a sense of alphabets and figures, when she was young," Akhilesh said, giving away laptops to 30 meritorious students who secured top marks in UP Board examination. As many as 25 students were from Meerut who had secured top marks in the district and were brought to Lucknow by MLA Atul Pradhan to get them felicitated with laptops by the party chief. Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s mentor and teacher Uday Pratap Singh, party national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary and other senior functionaries were present.