BJP APPEALS FOR REPOLL IN CHAPRA CONSTITUENCY.

29 April 2004, (ANI)

New Delhi, Apr 28 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday appealed to the Election Commission for a repoll in Bihar's Chapra constituency, alleging large scale malpractises in the polling.



Rajiv Pratap Rudy, federal civil aviation minister and the candidate of the BJP in Chapra, on Wednesday presented video clips of booth capturing and violence to officials of the Election Commission.



'On the day of election (in eastern Bihar), we kept on filing regular complaints. However, the means of the commission was not adequate to meet all the complaints. And as such we have reported there were large scale irregularities and booth capturing and we have demanded from the commission countermanding

of the (eastern) Chapra parliament election,' Rudy told reporters in New Delhi.



In Chapra, where the state ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav was pitted against Rudy, miscreants attacked polling booths and damaged the Electronic Voting Machines on Monday when it went for poll. India has held three rounds of a five-stage election, the world's largest democratic exercise

involving 670 million voters, that pits the BJP-led coalition against the Congress party.



Exit polls after the third round of voting on Monday indicated the BJP and its allies were still ahead of Congress but they could fall short of the halfway mark of 273 seats needed to form a government in the 545-member lower house of parliament.



The polls have predicted a resurgence for the Congress party and its allies in India's heartland states.



A much-needed shot in the arm for the beleagured Congress, the results have infused enthusiasm amongst its workers who have begun campaigning with renewed vigor.



However, senior leader and federal health minister Sushma Swaraj has scorned off the claims of Congress party that it would form the government after the elections.



Addressing a news conference in Lucknow, Swaraj said the exit polls after the three rounds of elections had given a difference of 100 seats between the two coalitions.



'Even if we consider the exit polls as hundred percent true and correct, the Congress party should not forget that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is much ahead of them after the first two rounds of elections. There is still a difference of 100 seats between the NDA and the Congress as predicted by the exit polls,' Swaraj said. Swaraj was campaigning in Pradesh, where 48 constituencies are going for poll on May 5 and 10.



Uttar Pradesh is crucial to all political parties as it sends the maximum 80 lawmakers to the lower house of parliament.



Meanwhile in Bombay, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray continued his campaign for his party candidates in Maharashtra. The polls end on May 10. Votes will be counted on May 13 and results are expected that day. (ANI)