Bengaluru (The Hawk): The ruling BJP has shifted into damage control mode in response to criticism over the alleged voter data theft scam. According to sources, the government is prepared to transfer Tushar Girinath, the Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as a first step.
Insiders say that party leaders are worried and concerned about the development, despite the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's attempts to put on a brave face by announcing an investigation and dismissing Congress charges as absurd.
According to sources, Tushar Girinath had already been invited to the Vidhana Soudha after an urgent press conference by Congress leaders regarding the scam in Bengaluru.
The ID cards given to BJP employees by the government have been collected by the Congress. The party is also attempting to get in touch with Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan and the Chilume institution that was awarded the contract to conduct voter list revision.
The party had published images of Ashwath Narayan studying at the Chilume institution's Krishnappa Ravikumar. According to Congress, it took more than three months to uncover the scandal with the help of the media.
Tushar Girinath was criticised by Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, who said he had high regard for the officer and wondered how he could descend to the level of allowing voter data to be stolen through impersonation.
According to insiders, the governing BJP has decided to transfer the BBMP Chief Commissioner in order to facilitate a quicker resolution of the issues. The development, according to BJP leaders, has proven to be a setback for them as they approach the assembly elections.
In Karnataka, the elections would take place in less than six months.
Congress has publicly disputed the claim that the BJP is tampering with the voter list because it will undoubtedly lose the next election. It is removing the names of voters who identify as minorities, SC/ST, or OBC. Additionally, the Congress claimed that voters were positioned in empty homes to support BJP candidates.
(Inputs from Agencies)