TN BJP slams Chidambaram, Stalin over allegations on voter roll manipulation

Chennai, Aug 4 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad has strongly criticised former Union Minister P. Chidambaram and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for what he termed as “divisive and baseless” statements regarding the recent revisions in voter rolls in Bihar and Tamil Nadu.

Prasad accused the Congress-DMK alliance of attempting to undermine the integrity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and distract from governance failures in Tamil Nadu.

Chidambaram had recently alleged that the ECI had removed 65 lakh voters from the electoral rolls in Bihar and added 6.5 lakh new voters in Tamil Nadu, describing the developments as suspicious and potentially illegal.

Countering this, Prasad said these claims were made without constitutional understanding or reference to electoral procedures and were aimed at maligning the Modi-led central government.

“These allegations not only lack evidence but are also a deliberate attempt to erode public trust in our democratic institutions,” Prasad said, adding that the Congress and DMK were resorting to “divisive and dynastic politics” to destabilise the idea of a unified Bharat.

Prasad asserted that the removal of voters in Bihar was part of a routine Special Intensive Revision exercise conducted by the ECI under the provisions of Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

He clarified that such exercises are standard practices meant to eliminate duplicate, deceased, or relocated entries from the electoral rolls and that affected individuals have legal recourse to appeal for reinstatement.

Similarly, he dismissed Chidambaram’s concerns about the inclusion of 6.5 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu, stating that migrant workers from other states are constitutionally entitled to register as voters at their current place of residence under Article 19(1)(e) and Section 19(b) of the Representation of the People Act.

“Labelling these voters as ‘non-residents’ is a rhetorical exaggeration, not a legal argument,” he said.

Turning his focus to Tamil Nadu, Prasad said the state was facing a serious governance crisis under the DMK, with rising incidents of crime, drug abuse, custodial deaths, and administrative corruption.

He cited the Anju Lavanya case as evidence of the deteriorating law and order situation, and condemned the state government’s alleged crackdown on peaceful protests and hunger strikes by disgruntled trade unions.

“While Tamil Nadu’s citizens are grappling with real challenges, Chidambaram and Stalin are busy peddling conspiracy theories and slandering constitutional bodies like the ECI,” Prasad said.

“This is political posturing, not responsible leadership.”

He also accused Stalin of aligning with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to further divisive regional politics, and criticised both leaders for ignoring linguistic and governance issues within their states in favour of partisan rhetoric. Prasad emphasised that the ECI functions with transparency, displaying draft rolls publicly and offering grievance redressal mechanisms.

He warned that casting aspersions on the ECI’s impartiality without proof undermines the credibility of the electoral process. Highlighting the BJP’s performance in the recent general elections, Prasad said the people of India have overwhelmingly rejected the Congress-DMK alliance’s politics of division and entrusted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a third consecutive term.

“This is a clear endorsement of the BJP’s vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047—an inclusive, united, and developed nation,” he said.

He concluded by urging political leaders to focus on constructive engagement and real issues like voter awareness and accessibility rather than indulging in defamatory narratives.

“Tamil Nadu’s people deserve leadership committed to justice, safety, and development - not sensationalism and slander,” he added.

--IANS

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