A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) pulled him up for alleging discrepancies in voting data released for the first and second phase of Lok Sabha polls, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday categorically said his party is on the side of the poll panel and stands for the strength and independence of it.

He, however, accused the poll panel of ignoring several complaints lodged with it by the party.

In his letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, Kharge while referring to his recent letter to the leaders of INDIA parties, said, “The letter even though an open letter is clearly addressed to our alliance partners and not to the Commission. It is surprising that the ECI wanted to respond to this letter while ‘ignoring’ several other complaints given directly to it. I have certain misgivings about the language of the letter, but I will not press on that issue as I understand the ‘pressures’ they are working under.”

Citing the poll panel’s letter to him, the Congress chief said, “The letter on one hand says Commission respects citizens’ right to ask questions and on the other hand threatens citizens in the form of an advise to exercise caution.

“I am happy that the Commission understands that it has the mandate to conduct smooth, free and fair elections under the constitution. However, the lack of urgency shown by the Commission in taking action against blatantly communal and casteist statements being made by the leaders of the ruling party (BJP) that vitiates the electoral process seems puzzling,” he said.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha further said, “I would like to say I am disappointed that the Commission did not quote another line from the letter which said ‘it should be our collective endeavour to safeguard democracy and protect the independent functioning of the ECI’.

The Congress party is on the side of the Commission and stands for the strength and independence of the Commission. The officials of the Commission should now decide where they stand.”

The ECI in its letter to Kharge, on Friday rejected his allegation of discrepancies in voting data released for the first and second phase. It also advised him to exercise caution and refrain from making any such statements.