Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 — The Kerala BJP has turned the Congress national leadership’s allegations of electoral manipulation into a political challenge for the UDF government, demanding that Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan resign if the claims imply that the Kerala Assembly election was not legitimate.
BJP Legislature Party leader B.B. Gopakumar on Friday wrote to the Chief Minister, asking him to clarify his position on the allegations.
With the Assembly session beginning on Monday, the BJP has warned of strong protests inside and outside the House.
The party’s argument rests on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent statement that elections across the country were illegal and that the elected Assemblies and Parliament should be dissolved.
Kharge had demanded fresh elections using ballot papers, alleging irregularities involving electronic voting machines and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Gopakumar argued that Kerala’s Assembly election, held after the SIR exercise, would also fall within the scope of the Congress allegations.
If the Congress leadership believes the electoral process was manipulated, the Chief Minister must explain how he can continue in office on the strength of the same election, he said.
The BJP leader also pointed out that Rathan U. Kelkar, who was the Chief Electoral Officer in charge of the SIR process in Kerala, is now the Chief Minister’s secretary.
Satheesan must clarify whether he accepts the Congress allegations and whether they cast doubt on the electoral process and the officials who conducted it, Gopakumar said.
He accused the Congress of using SIR to cover up its electoral setbacks and described its allegations as politically motivated.
He also criticised Satheesan for joining the opposition protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi.
The BJP’s challenge comes amid an escalating political confrontation over SIR.
The Congress has demanded the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation, alleging irregularities in electoral roll revision, while the BJP has defended the poll process and challenged the opposition’s claims.
The BJP intends to make the issue a major point of confrontation when the Assembly meets on Monday.
Gopakumar has demanded a clear answer from the Chief Minister: if he accepts the Congress leadership’s allegations, he must resign.