Palakkad (Kerala) | The Congress-led UDF on Friday accused the LDF's Palakkad by-poll candidate, P Sarin, of getting registered as a voter in the assembly constituency by obtaining a residency certificate through unfair means and with the help of the BJP.
The allegation was refuted by Sarin, the former digital media convener of the Congress before his removal from the party, and his wife.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan alleged that Sarin was living in the constituency for only around three months, but managed to get a residency certificate for which one needs to live in a place continuously for six months.
"It was possible as the municipality is governed by the BJP. The certificate was obtained by giving fake documents," he alleged.
Satheesan also contended that Sarin and his wife have never lived in the house they own in the constituency and it has been given on rent.
The Congress leader alleged that both BJP and CPI(M) have added voters to the electoral roll in a fraudulent manner and the party will challenge it after the by-poll.
Later in the day, Sarin and his wife termed Satheesan's allegations and claims as "unsubstantiated" and contended that they have lived in their house in Palakkad assembly constituency for several years since its purchase in 2018.
Sarin' wife also hit out against the opposition leader in a joint press meet held by them and said that family members who have nothing to do with politics should not be dragged into such issues.
She claimed that while she was in Sharjah, where she works, she saw news reports in which Satheesan and other leaders were alleging that she wrongfully obtained the voter ID based on a Palakkad address.
Sarin, in the press meet, admitted that he and his wife had voted from Ottapalam assembly constituency in the 2024 general elections, but sought to know what was wrong in getting a voter ID in Palakkad constituency when he has a residential address here.
He also said that Satheesan was probably misled by the fact that he was living in a rented accommodation near his own house.
Sarin said he did not want to inconvenience the tenants living in his house as a lot of people would be coming to meet him during the campaigning and therefore, moved to a rented accommodation.
