From the very beginning of the election a few leftist and Congress-friendly media outlets acted like propaganda vehicle for Congress’ Jayanagar candidate Sowmya Reddy giving her undue coverage and hailing her as a messiah.
What would an apartment guy, a grandma, domestic worker, Covid survivor, RWA President and saxophone player have in common?
Curious? (1) pic.twitter.com/c87gNsUAzv— Tara Krishnaswamy (@tarauk) May 7, 2023
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged the ‘prestigious’ seat in Bengaluru after a close fight with the Congress. BJP’s CK Ramamurthy defeated Congress leader and sitting MLA Sowmya Reddy by a narrow margin of just 16 votes in the Jayanagar constituency. The Congress workers held a protest as they alleged misuse of government machinery to favour BJP Candidate Ramamurthy.
Immediately, leftist media outlets like The News Minute pounced on the ground to peddle a rhetoric that the BJP, particularly Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was interfering with the counting process.
They had amplified the Congress’s claims that Tejasvi had barged and was present inside the counting booth with phone.
But this rhetoric against BJP peddled by TNM and the likes has been disputed by people who were at the counting centre.
The seat was expected to be a close contest with either of the candidates winning with a small margin.
According to Surabhi Hodigere, as the counting of votes progressed, Sowmya Reddy was leading of a mere 160 votes, which was prematurely celebrated as a victory by Congress party. However, there was no certificate of victory issued by the EC authorities.
As the margin was very close, a rule from the Election Commission Handbook was effected into force, which states that if the possible victory margin is less than the total number of postal ballots, then there should be a mandatory re-verification of all postal ballots.
The Handbook of Returning Officer clearly mentions that even if no candidate requests for recounting of votes, the Returning Officer is mandated to conduct it.
This recount gave lead for BJP by 16 votes. But only one recount is possible according to the rule book. However it was widely misreported that three or four rounds of recounting happened on the behest of BJP leaders which many say is a totally fabricated lie.
TNM in its report of “what transpired at the counting centre” did not mention that Sowmya Reddy’s father Ramlinga Reddy and the Congress party had descended on the counting booth as early as 5.30pm. Three types of recounting – total numerical tally, VVPAT tally matching and re-verification of postal votes – was done because of Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy. Apparently few votes were deemed invalid on frivolous grounds on the insistence of Ramalinga Reddy.
According to sources, Tejasvi Surya and now-former Revenue Minister R. Ashoka of BJP came to the counting centre much later after coming to know that Congress party had barged in and put the officers under duress.
By 7 PM, Congress and BJP cadres came down in huge numbers leading to commotion. Congress leaders from other areas ended came to Jayanagar, threatened officials and caused havoc in an place.
DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh came to the counting centre at around 8 30 PM and the latter was seen threatening the police personnel deployed who prevented him from barging in.
The only people inside the counting centre at this time were Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy and BJP candidate CK Ramamurthy. The recounting process was done to the satisfaction of both of them post which CK Ramamurthy was declared the winner.
Share widely, this is what happened in Jayanagar and what is just not fairly reported in the media. #Jayanagar #bengaluru
Congress leaders from other areas ended up in #Jayanagar, threatened officials and caused havoc in an place that is always grounded and well-reasoned. pic.twitter.com/AhHR2tMv5R
— Surabhi Hodigere (@SurabhiHodigere) May 14, 2023
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