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Bhim Singh alleges massive rigging by BJP in Doda

Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh today demanded a repoll in 430 polling stations in Doda-Udhampur parliamentary constituency, alleging massive rigging by the BJP, and threatened to resort to hunger strike if the Election Commission did not concede his demand within a week.

The 430 polling stations are in nine assembly segments including six in Doda district, two in Udhampur and one in Kathua. There were a total of 1400 polling stations.

Polling was held in the constituency in the second phase on September 11. Nearly 40 per cent polling was reported in two constituencies of Jammu and Udhampur. He said at a press conference in Srinagar that the BJP had enlisted the support of armed members of the village defence committees by giving them false promises and indulged in massive rigging.

He also urged the Election Commission to depute an election commissioner for a first-hand study of the situation there. He said hilly areas in the constituency were infested with foreign mercenaries and people had migrated from many far-flung villages. It was therefore, impossible for them to cast their vote. ''I wonder how such a high poll percentage could be registered when lakhs of people had migrated to other areas and thousands did not come out to vote.''

He said there was also a total boycott in many areas and several thousands had migrated. Eighteen per cent votes polled as shown by the returning officers were a ''total fraud'' and needed to be annulled, he added.

UNI

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