Karnataka CM urges Congress workers to stay vigilent amid the ongoing SIR
NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Sunday urged party workers and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to function as help desks during the Centre’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the exercise could put the opposition at risk if eligible voters fail to complete the enumeration process. Addressing the Congress party’s Sankalpa Samavesha programme, he called on party leaders to remain vigilant, assist voters with documentation and ensure that migrant workers and other eligible citizens are not excluded from the electoral rolls.Shivakumar alleged that the ongoing revision exercise could adversely affect opposition parties and stressed the need for grassroots-level intervention by Congress workers.”The Centre has put us in danger. Tamil Nadu has cut 64 lakhs. There has been a cut in West Bengal. Whether it is Mallikarjun Kharge or me, everyone should fill the enumeration form. I have also discussed with all the officials. All our BLAs should become help desks. Congress leaders should pay attention to what the government is doing or not. Attention should be paid to everyone who has gone out to work,” the chief minister said. He emphasised that Congress workers should actively reach out to migrant labourers and other voters who may be away from their native places, helping them complete the required formalities so that their names remain on the voter list.The remarks come as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) intensifies its statewide campaign against the Special Intensive Revision exercise. The party has launched an awareness drive under the banner Congress Nade Matadarara Kadege (Congress March Towards Voters), aimed at educating citizens about the revision process and encouraging voter participation.The Congress has alleged that the BJP-led NDA government has influenced the Election Commission in ways that could affect voter lists and democratic processes. To monitor developments, the party has constituted an SIR Voter List Review Committee and planned a series of awareness meetings across Karnataka.Programmes are scheduled in Mangaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, Kalaburagi and Bengaluru between June 23 and June 30 as part of the campaign.During his address, Shivakumar also referred to the power-sharing arrangement within the Karnataka Congress government and said he had honoured the understanding reached when the government was formed.”I went with Siddaramaiah. Whatever was said about the handover, I worked according to it. I was patient. I did not make a single statement. The transfer of power took place as expected,” he said.
