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BJP state president BY Vijayendra said the party has every right to mark voters it has reason to believe have been illegally added to the draft electoral roll.

“In the beginning, Muslim voters were gathered in mosques and hookah mantaps, officers were also called to the spot and voters were added to the list. There are suspicions that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have entered the voter list in some constituencies. We have flagged them. Will the Election Commission of India (EC) verify these applications and reject them if found to be false?” he said, adding that BJP leaders will not be threatened by the FIR.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok alleged that the Congress was trying to put pressure on the EC and stand by “those who vote in multiple seats”. “Every genuine citizen must get their vote, but there are about two billion Pakistanis and Bangladeshis who need to be sent back. Congress must also look into that,” he said. He also hit out at the chief minister for organizing the protest “ignoring the affairs of the state during the drought”.

Addressing X, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi termed it a “diversionary tactic” by the chief minister who was supposed to address pressing issues like drought.

HDK questions the credibility

JD(S) leader and union minister HD Kumaraswamy also launched a scathing attack on the Congress over its anti-SIR campaign, questioning the party’s credibility in leveling allegations of election irregularities.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Congress was now protesting against the process in which it itself participated when the SIR exercise began. He claimed that Congress leaders had earlier organized rallies in marriage halls, community centers and residential areas in connection with the revision of electoral rolls.

“Those who were silent when we raised these issues are now suddenly talking about the irregularities,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.

Published – 1 October 2026 22:08 IST