Hyderabad: Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday said Congress, CPI, CPM and TJS will jointly hold rallies at all district headquarters on Oct 6, followed by another rally to Lok Bhavan in Hyderabad on Oct 8, demanding removal and arrest of chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. A ‘Chalo Delhi’ programme will be held on Nov 1. “The INDIA bloc strongly condemns the conduct of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Votes of lakhs of eligible citizens are being deleted. The Centre is acting against the Constitution. The BJP is misusing ED, CBI, IT and ECI,” Mahesh Goud alleged.Addressing the media along with CPI and CPM leaders, he said BJP has subjugated ECI and was engaging in improper actions. “Mamata Banerjee lost elections in West Bengal solely because of SIR. The ECI is deleting genuine votes under the pretext of SIR. Gyanesh Kumar should not only be removed but also arrested,” he demanded. CPM state secretary John Wesley alleged that 13 crore votes have been deleted under the pretext of SIR in various states. “They are preventing enrollment of votes by citing regulations in Form 6. Votes are being deleted based on selective complaints. The BJP is acting to manipulate elections in its favour. Eligible voters whose names have been deleted must be reinstated,” he said.Protests will be held in front of district collectorates on Oct 6. “We will take up a ‘Chalo Lok Bhavan’ programme on Oct 8. Gyanesh Kumar should be removed from the post of the CEC and action should be taken against him,” John Wesley demanded.CPI leader ET Narasimha said, “All democratic parties and democratic-minded people across country need to reflect on this. CEC Gyanesh Kumar is doing whatever Modi dictates. This has become a threat to country’s democracy. Voters are being removed from electoral rolls based on comments made against PM Narendra Modi. Notices are being issued citing discrepancies in parents’ ages,” he alleged. He appealed to the people to join their protest on Oct 6 and Oct 8.Telangana Jana Samithi youth wing president Salim Pasha said the names of people who had been voting for years were now being removed from the voters’ list in the name of SIR. A conspiracy was afoot to delete over 90 lakh votes in Telangana, he alleged.Mahesh Goud to attend AICC meetTPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud will visit Delhi on Monday to attend a meeting of PCC presidents and state in-charges convened by AICC. Top AICC leaders will discuss the alleged irregularities in the voter verification process and agitations planned by INDIA bloc across the country.
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