Paravur MLA VD Satheesan has filed a petition with the Chief Election Commissioner alleging irregularities in the BJP’s membership drive.
The BJP has claimed that it currently has close to 85 million members, as compared to the membership of just 35 million it had claimed in 2014. This massive increase in just 2 years has surprised political analysts in the state.
On Friday, The Wire first reported that the BJP was ‘faking’ the increase in the number of its members.
According to the report, on many websites that appear on a Google search for Airtel Customer Care, the number provided is 1800-103-4444. Persons who call this number receive a message in the local language that says, “Call from the registered number or give a missed call to 18002662020.”
When they then give a missed call to the second toll-free number, they receive a message that says, “Welcome to the BJP. Your membership number is ___”
If the person calls back the original customer care number, they are again welcomed with a message that repeats their BJP membership number.
Thus, it is alleged, through a fake listing for Airtel Customer Care, the BJP is increasing its membership.
The Wire reports that most of the websites that provide the fake customer care number could be dummy websites.
Representatives of the Congress allege that such a process can only be carried out with deliberate intent. "This fraudulence is possible only by linking these fake numbers to BJP's official data base. It is intentional cheating. We will be moving legally against it," Raju P Nair, Ernakulam, General Secretary of the District Congress Committee and KPCC IT Cell Chairman told The News Minute.