The Congress on Sunday submitted a complaint to the Election Commission, alleging irregularities in voter lists in Madhya Pradesh.

“We have provided evidence to the Election Commission that there are approximately 60 lakh fake voters registered in the voting list,” ANI quoted Kamal Nath, the state’s Congress chief, as saying. “These names have been deliberately registered in the list. This is not administrative negligence, but administrative misuse.”

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia placed the blame on the Bharatiya Janata Party. “This has been done by the BJP,” he claimed. “How is it possible that population increased by 24% in 10 years but the number of voters increased by 40%? We scrutinised list in all constituencies, one voter is registered in 26 lists, there are similar cases in other places too.”

The Congress had reportedly lodged a similar complaint in February. Two months later, the state’s chief electoral officer Salina Singh said that six lakh names had been removed from the electoral rolls.

Possible coalition

The Sharad Yadav-led faction of the Janata Dal (United) is reportedly trying to form a coalition against the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, which goes to the polls later this year, PTI reported. “We are trying hard to form a ‘maha gathbandhan [grand alliance]’ in Madhya Pradesh with the help of the Congress,” said Govind Yadav, the former president of the JD(U) state unit.

In April, Yadav’s faction announced a new political outfit called the Loktantrik Janata Dal. But, the former Union minister has said he is not yet a member of the new party as his legal claim to represent the JD(U) is still sub-judice.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath told The Wire that his party will ally with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the state polls. The two parties will also tie up for the Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh elections, according to the report.