Samajwadi Party leader and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav Sunday said he was unable to digest the Bihar election results.
Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru, he said, “This result, of double century (of seats for the NDA), I am not able to digest. We are not able to accept it. How can those large numbers of seats be won? How can the strike rate be so high?”
The Samajwadi Party leader said other parties must learn from the BJP about contesting a specific number of seats. “What we learn from the BJP, we will implement the same in return,” Yadav added.
Responding to a question on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, he said that it was the responsibility of the ECI to ensure free and fair elections, so that everyone can cast their votes. “Why is the ECI not saying that they won’t let anyone lose their vote?” he asked, alleging that the BJP was able to create Aadhaar cards and voter IDs in half an hour.
The Lok Sabha MP said the ECI and the Union Government must ensure that fake cards are not created, and recommended issuing metal voter ID cards to prevent duplication. “We are not opposed to SIR. But, where are you doing SIR? In booths, you (BJP) are losing. You are focused on that at all levels,” he alleged.
On ‘vote chori’, Yadav said, “This is not an allegation. This is the truth.” He signed off by alleging that thousands of voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise by the police during the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.