From jail,former minister sends his voice out to voters

“Main Babulal Nagar. Mera bhai Hazarilal Nagar chunav ladh rahe hai Dudu vidhan sabha kshetra se. Main sankat mein hoon. Aap mere bhai ki sahayta karein and unhe vote de kar jitaye,” which translates as,“I am Babulal Nagar. My brother Hazarilal Nagar is contesting from Dudu assembly constituency. I am in trouble. Please help my brother by voting for him.”

Nagar is accused of rape of a married woman and is now in judicial custody. He had to step down as khadi industries and dairy minister and was suspended from the Congress’s primary membership after being named in the controversy in September.

This happened on the insistence of the high command; the state party unit had been reluctant to oust Nagar because of his influence in Dudu,which he represents. Rahul Gandhi had made it adequately clear that tainted leaders would not be fielded in the elections,and the party give the ticket instead to Nagar’s brother Hazarilal,a zila pramukh.

Babulal Nagar,who has repeatedly claimed he has been framed in a political conspiracy,continues to hold sway in the seat,reserved for scheduled castes,and his word is expected to have considerable influence on voters.

Reacting sharply to Nagar’s campaign tool,the BJP has compiled a list of paper cuttings pointing out how the BJP’s requests to allow prisoners to vote were turned down by the Election Commission and how Nagar was being given a free hand to campaign from inside jail.

“How can someone lodged in jail send out voice messages over the phone?” BJP spokesperson Kailash Nath Bhatt said. “How does he have access to such a facility? This is a serious issue. We have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.”

Soon after the final list of candidates was released,several candidates,particularly those of the Congress,have sent out a slew of pre-recorded voice messages that address voters directly through a call on their mobile phones. In some cases,such calls are made not only to the candidate’s constituents but to an entire city. The tool is considered effective as it gives voters the impression that the contestant is making a direct call to them.