Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s involvement in the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has drawn criticism from the BJP. The Congress leader’s participation in the process was highlighted as a sign that even party members do not take their own statements seriously.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari pointed out that despite Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s concerns over the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) SIR process, Shivakumar’s active role in Karnataka undermines the party’s stance. Bhandari emphasized that the Opposition’s letter on SIR, signed by various political parties, lacks credibility when leaders like Shivakumar endorse the initiative.
According to Bhandari, the Congress tends to attribute electoral losses to factors like SIR and EVMs. He suggested that the party frequently resorts to excuses following defeats, implying a lack of accountability. BJP MP Sujeet Kumar criticized the Opposition’s approach as a recurring pattern of baseless complaints without specific evidence of irregularities.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate expressed concerns over the SIR process, labeling it as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise voters. She called upon the Chief Justice of India to intervene, highlighting the perceived threat to the constitutional right to vote. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress chief Manickam Tagore accused the BJP of using government agencies and unethical practices to weaken opposition parties.
