Yeddyurappa slams EC's 'free and fair election' claim and seeks fresh polls in allegation-laden letter. Read here

Former Karnataka chief minister Yeddyurappa has written to the Chief Election Commissioner of India about the alleged finding of VVPAT machine boxes in a village in Vijayapur, complaining that the incident has "exposed the hollowness of the claim of the election commission that assembly elections in Karnataka were held in a fair and free manner."

Yeddyurappa, who formed a government for about 55 hours before resigning, presumably because he didn't have adequate support in the house, goes on to allege that it wasn't the only irregularity that had been discovered and that his party had raised several such complaints before the concerned officials but their efforts had been in vain. 

He alleged that "in many assembly segments money, muscle and liquor power of the rival party leaders played a key role in the elections and officials involved with the elections remained silent to all these illegal acts for reasons best known to them."

He further alleges that in Bidar and Gulbarga police officials helped rival candidates distribute money and liquor. He has asked for a detailed investigation and for fresh elections to be ordered if necessary in those constituencies.

He has sent copies to BJP party president Amit Shah and Sanjiv Kumar, the chief electoral officer of Karnataka, who had said that the boxes do not belong to the district or to Election Commission.

“The boxes are without machine and paper and without unique electronic tracking number... The Election Commission will initiate strict action against those who are trying to create confusion,” Mr Kumar said, adding, no VVPAT machines were found.

Here's the letter by Yeddyurappa: