"Nothing wrong with reverting to ballot paper": Priyank Kharge ahead of forthcoming local body polls in Karnataka
"It is the prerogative of the state Election Commission on how they would like to conduct the elections, and we have moved an amendment for the same. There is nothing wrong with reverting to a ballot paper. There is no rule against it. We will ensure free and fair elections happen in the local bodies of Karnataka," Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru.
ANI
Jan 19, 2026 18:27 IST
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 19 (ANI): Karnataka Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said the decision to conduct elections rests entirely with the State Election Commission (SEC), asserting that there is "nothing wrong with reverting to ballot papers" for the upcoming local body polls.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the state government has already moved an amendment in this regard and emphasised that the priority remains ensuring "free and fair elections".
"It is the prerogative of the state Election Commission on how they would like to conduct the elections, and we have moved an amendment for the same. There is nothing wrong with reverting to a ballot paper. There is no rule against it. We will ensure free and fair elections happen in the local bodies of Karnataka," Kharge said.
Reacting to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay being called in for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Kharge called it a "standard operating procedure" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre. The Karnataka minister alleged a pattern of intimidation against political opponents.
"It is a standard operating procedure by the central government, or the BJP, where they try to intimidate the opposition. Whether it is TMC, Shiv Sena UBT, Congress, Mr Gandhi, Mr Kharge, TVK, or DMK. If you don't adhere to their shims and fancies, IT, ED raids or CBI cases happen to you. What is the conviction rate by them? Not even 2 per cent," Kharge said.
Meanwhile, Vijay on Monday reached the CBI office in Delhi in connection with the probe into the karur-stampede case, which claimed 41 lives during a party campaign in September 2025.
The CBI had last week conducted a detailed line of questioning of Vijay as part of its probe into the karur-stampede case. The CBI's line of questioning focused heavily on the mechanics of the disaster and the timeline of events on September 27, 2025.
The CBI took over the investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police in October last year following a Supreme Court order. Since then, the agency has been examining the circumstances surrounding the stampede at a political event in Karur. (ANI)
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