Digvijay takes a dig at Kejriwal for not voting -Governance Now

Digvijay takes a dig at Kejriwal for not voting

The activist could not exercise his franchise as his name was missing from electoral rolls

PTI | February 29, 2012

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal faced protests as he decided to leave for Goa without casting his vote in UP polls and the "guilty" activist returned from airport but in an anti-climax could not exercise his franchise as his name was missing from electoral rolls.

Kejriwal, who has been campaigning for electoral reforms and attacking politicians, found himself on the receiving end with Congress leader Digvijay Singh saying, "Great protectors of probity in public life. Anna (Hazare) doesn't go to vote.

Kejriwal doesn't care to see whether he is registered as voter. Singh, a known critic of Team Anna, said "Obviously Team Anna doesn't practice what it preaches ! They should clarify whether they believe in Democracy or not.

"If they do believe in Democracy then what form of Democracy," he asked on Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said that the issue of omission of Kejriwal's name from the electoral rolls would be looked into.

Kejriwal was expected to cast his vote at a polling station in Indirapuram area of Sahibabad constituency, but he left in the morning for Delhi to catch a flight for Goa.

However, some persons protested against his action which prompted Kejriwal to return to the polling boothb but he found that his name was missing in the voters' list.

"I have a voters identity card. My name was in the voters' list on the earlier occasions," he said.

Some voters who were inconvenienced by the media glare on Kejriwal outside the polling booth also shouted slogans.

Asked why he was going to Goa without casting vote, Kejriwal said the Team Anna programme was finalised a month ago and at that time, they did not realise that the voting day and campaigning programme would clash.

Kejriwal said he felt guilty and returned from the airport to vote.

"When I was leaving for Goa, I felt guilty. After reaching there (airport), I spoke with organisers in Goa who agreed to postpone two programmes," he said.

Looking disappointed at not finding his name in the voters' list, Kejriwal said he suspected foul play.

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