EC takes care of electoral rolls, not me, says Owaisi on allegation of bogus votes

Hyderabad: Rejecting BJP Hyderabad Lok Sabha candidate K Madhavi Latha's allegation of about six lakh bogus votes in the constituency, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said the Election Commission takes care of the issue of voters' lists.

Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad constituency, wondered what his role was in the matter.

The AIMIM leader said the process of addition of names and publication of the final voters' list is carried out every year by the Election Commission which he does not head.

He was responding to a query from reporters about Madhavi Latha's charge that Owaisi won with the help of the six lakh bogus votes The allegation amounts to "abusing" the Election Commission, he added.

"By speaking like this, you are insulting the Hyderabad electorate, which includes brothers from the backward class and Dalits, minority Muslims, and Christians who are going out to vote. Because of their votes, every party is getting votes and AIMIM is successful," he told reporters.

Asked about the reported comments of a Congress leader in Hyderabad that he has to be friends with the AIMIM, Owaisi said his party does not have any alliance with any party in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections.

His party has formed PDM in Uttar Pradesh and his colleague MP in Maharashtra Imtiaz Jaleel is holding talks on the issue in the western state.

Owaisi launched his campaign on Friday and undertook door-to-door canvassing in the Bahadurpur assembly segment.