New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has stirred controversy with his accusations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "indirectly influenced" voting in the Milkipur bye-election in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav’s remarks, which alluded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was compromised, have drawn sharp criticism from NDA leaders who have condemned his statement and called for an apology.

Yadav, speaking on Thursday, accused the BJP of using underhand tactics in the election, claiming, “This is how the BJP contests elections, and the ECI is dead.”

Speaking to IANS, Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), fired back, saying, “When his party wins, was it because of the impartiality of the same ECI? The Samajwadi Party is a constitutional party, and they also saw success in the Lok Sabha in Uttar Pradesh. When they won in Ayodhya, the Election Commission was fine. Now, when they're losing in Kathari Assembly or Milkipur, they cry foul. This is condemnable, and Yadav should apologise for his statements.”

BJP MP Ravi Kishan expressed disappointment, remarking, “It’s unfortunate that Akhilesh didn’t make these claims when his party won 42 Lok Sabha seats in the past 24 years.”

Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan also joined in the criticism, saying, “I don’t understand how, under the same ECI that oversaw the Lok Sabha elections, you became the third-largest party in the House. Yet now, when Milkipur is slipping away from you, you start making excuses. This is wrong. Your tone shifts based on whether you win or lose, and that’s a flawed approach.”

The allegations stem from Yadav's claims on Wednesday that police were checking the IDs of voters during the bypoll. He took to social media demanding action from the ECI to remove those responsible.

However, the Ayodhya Police quickly rebutted Yadav’s accusation, clarifying that the IDs of booth agents, not voters, were being checked, and urged the former Chief Minister to refrain from making false statements.

The Milkipur Assembly bye-election, which concluded on Wednesday, saw a voter turnout of 57.13 per cent. With the results still pending, the political drama surrounding the seat continues to unfold.

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