Chapra (Bihar), May 02: Appearing before a two-member Election Commission probe team here, BSP and SP today joined BJP in demanding countermanding of the elections in this Lok Sabha constituency even as RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, who contested against Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, denied irregularities and violence on polling day on April 26. Yadav, Rudy and leaders of BSP amd SP appeared separately before the EC team comprising K J Rao and Ananthkumar who began probing allegations of widespread electoral fraud and booth-capturing, in an in-camera session. Emerging from the session, BSP nominee Abhay Raj Kishore told reporters that he complained to the panel that the Dalits were prevented from casting votes and the district administration worked as an agency of RJD. He said he had demanded countermanding of the poll. Making similar demand, Bachu Prasad Birju, the SP candidate, alleged RJD activists let loose a reign of terror and indulged in largescale violence and booth-grabbing.
Laloo Yadav, who was the first to appear before the EC team, later told waiting reporters that he had denied the allegation of violence and irregularities by his partymen during the poll in Chapra which, he claimed, was peaceful and fair. After his half-an-hour deposition, Rudy said he tendered the evidences with video-clippings and other facts and figures in support of his demand. He accused the state government of adopting vindictive attitude towards him even after poll. He said two false and fabricated cases were instituted by police against him in Chapra. Bureau Report