Himachal Assembly elections: Congress claims BJP circulating forged letter with motive to influence voting patterns

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is circulating a forged letter with motives to influence voting patterns in favour of its party in the State.

Notably, the polling for the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh is underway.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, Congress requested to file a complaint against the National and State Presidents of BJP.

"I am bringing to your kind notice that a letter is being circulated on various media platforms on the official letter pad of Rajiv Shukla ji, Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & former Minister to the Union of India (Incharge- Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee) with motives to influence voting patterns in favor of BJP Himachal Pradesh," the letter reads.

The party further said that the letter with forged signatures of MP Rajiv Shukla was also was addressed to Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

"On this forged letter pad mentioned supra, a letter has been addressed to the National President of the Indian National Congress Mallikarjun Kharge with duly morphed signatures of Shri Rajiv Shukla ji. It is pertinent to state here that Shri Rajiv Shukla ji never authored this letter to Mr. Kharge and contents therein are being circulated with motives to benefit Bhartiya Janta Party in General State Legislative Elections-2022," it said.

The party said that the letter is disseminating the frustration level of the BJP as they has got to know that their organization has lost the faith of masses in Himachal Pradesh.

"This forged letter is nothing but a feeble attempt to damage Indian National Congress but BJP is not aware that people of Himachal Pradesh are wise and intellect enough to construe their malafide intentions," the letter further reads.

"It is hereby being requested that an FIR against National and State Presidents of Bhartiya Janta Party may kindly be lodged under provisions of 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 34 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code along with other relevant provisions of Representation of People Act, 1951 as early as possible," it added.

The letter comes on the day when polling is underway in Himachal to elect the new government.

The fight is in between the ruling BJP in the state which is looking to retain power and Congress which is banking on its '10 guarantees' that the party listed out in its manifesto to take them home. Aam Aadmi Party is in line looking to leave a mark in the state and is contesting on all 68 seats.

The key contests include Seraj where Chief Minister Jairam Thakur is contesting against Congress' Chetram Thakur and AAP candidate Gita Nand Thakur. Mahinder Rana is the CPI-M candidate.

Congress has fielded Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh from Shimla Rural against BJP's Ravi Mehta and AAP's Prem Thakur.

Shimla Assembly constituency is set to witness a close fight between BJP, AAP, Congress and CPIM.

The counting of votes will be done on December 8.

In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats.

( With inputs from ANI )