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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, Raju Bista came down heavily on the Congress over the party's EVM allegations against the BJP and said that "thieves," who have been caught stealing the entire nation in history should not put allegations against the BJP.
Speaking to ANI, Bista said, "Those who are thieves should not put allegations on us. The Congress party has been caught stealing the whole nation in history. At least they should not give us 'gyan'." The BJP candidate also attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statement of conducting a survey and distributing wealth equally amongst the masses if Congress comes to power. "Rahul Gandhi has no sense of maturity. He does not have an understanding of the nation's geography, what kind of survey, and what study. He is older than me, hence with due respect, I would like to say that he is not made for politics, he has been pushed into it forcefully." Earlier this month, the BJP wrote to the Election Commission (ED) demanding stringent action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his "election can't be won without EVM" remark. Underlining Rahul Gandhi's speech at the Ramalia rally in Delhi, BJP claimed that Rahul Gandhi said several things "which are very objectionable." Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri brought the subject to the light of the poll body and alleged that Rahul Gandhi said several things that were very objectionable with serious implications at the INDIA alliance meeting that was held at Ramlila Maidan. Reportedly, Rahul Gandhi said the central government has its people in the Election Commission and the elections can't be won without EVM. Meanwhile, claiming that the political headwinds and public mood were in favour of the BJP going into the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha in Bengal, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday exuded confidence that his party will retain the Darjeeling constituency by a comfortable margin. Between sitting MP Raju Bista and a fresh term in the Lok Sabha stands the ruling TMC's Gopal Lama. Darjeeling has been a BJP bastion since 2009, with the TMC never managing to wrest the seat from the principal opposition party in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Bista won the constituency with 59.2 per cent of the total votes polled against TMC's Amar Singh Rai, who bagged a mere 26.6 per cent votes. In 2014, BJP's SS Ahluwalia, who is in the fray this year from Asansol, won 42.8 per cent of votes against 25.5 per cent won by former footballer and TMC's star candidate Bhaichung Bhutia. After polling was conducted for three North Bengal seats in the opening phase, Darjeeling, Balurghat, and Raiganj are set to go to polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, Friday. Voting for the remaining constituencies of West Bengal will be held on May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4. (ANI)
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