Picture : Twitter / ANI
In a big set- back to Union Minister Smriti Irani, the BJP candidate in Amethi, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh Lakku Venkateshwarlu has said allegations of booth capturing in Amethi by Congress president Rahul Gandhi as alleged by her are false and baseless.
Venkateshwarlu, while talking to reporters, said the charges levelled by the elderly woman in the video clip that went viral on social media were found to be “baseless”.
Irani had tweeted a video in which an elderly woman can be seen claiming that she was forced by the polling officer to caste her vote for the Congress party and not for the BJP. They held my hand and forced me to press the Congress button. I wanted to vote for lotus (BJP), the woman can be heard saying in the video.
Following the video, the BJP leader had urged the Election Commission to look into the matter and take appropriate action against Rahul Gandhi.
Following the complaint, the sector officer, senior officials and even observers rushed to the booth and spoke to the polling agents of the political parties, other officials in the polling booth following which it was conclusively found that the charges in the video clip were fabricated. Due to prima facie allegations in the clip, the presiding officer was summarily removed while the probe was going on, the electoral official added.
