'Tejashwi Yadav Had Two EPIC Number': BJP's Sambit Patra Hits Back at RJD Leader's Allegations Over Voter List 'Removal' Claims

New Delhi: BJP MP Sambit Patra on Sunday hits back at RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav, after bhe alleged that his EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) number has been "changed" and his name was missing from the draft voter list.  

Sambit Patra alleged that Tejashwi Yadav had two EPIC numbers and two Voter IDs and called his accusation a “conspiracy to defame India.” 

Addressing a press conference, Sambit Patra said, "This means he (Tejashwi Yadav) had two EPIC numbers... Did he have two voter IDs? The way in which Congress and RJD are scathing an attack on the EC, is a conspiracy to defame India." 

Further, Patra stated that the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Patna District Magistrate clarified the matter by showing Yadav's name in the draft electoral roll.

"He tried to mislead voters on the electoral roll published by the EC ... He cried that his name was not there in the electoral roll, so could he take part in the elections in Bihar?... After that, the EC and Patna DM revealed the truth. They said that Tejashwi Yadav's name and EPIC number are present, and his name has not been cut from the electoral roll published after the SIR," he said. 

"The EC further said that the EPIC number, which published his name in the electoral roll at serial number 416, is the same as the one he wrote in his nomination papers during the 2020 elections," the BJP MP added. He said, "Sarvochh neta ke hain two EPIC number to karyakarta ka haal kya hoga" (if the chief has two EPIC numbers, then what would be the condition of the party workers).

ECI, in a statement, stated, "It has come to our attention that Tejashwi Yadav has made a mischievous claim that his name does not appear in the draft electoral roll. His name is listed at Serial Number 416 in the Draft Electoral Roll. Therefore, any claim stating that his name is not included in the draft electoral roll is false and factually incorrect."

Earlier on Saturday, RJD leader attacked the ECI over the SIR exercise in Bihar, stating his EPIC number was changed and his name was missing from the voter list.

"If my own EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) number could be changed, then how many people's EPIC numbers have been changed? These are the questions we are posing to the Election Commission. This is a conspiracy to cut people's names from the voter list...," he said.

Tejashwi Yadav further alleged widespread discrepancies, stating, "Almost 20 to 30 thousand names have been removed from every assembly constituency. A total of around 65 lakh, meaning about 8.5% of voters' names, have been removed from the list."

He accused the ECI of withholding crucial details, saying, "In the list provided to us by the Election Commission, they have cleverly not given the address of any voter, no booth number, and no EPIC number, so that we cannot find out whose names have been removed from the voter list."

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