Crime-free UP polls, thanks to EC

CNN-IBN's Special Investigation Team (SIT) found sophisticated weapons in the possession of many candidates, to be used to fuel violence and indulge in booth capturing, but the Election Commission has manged to keep them silent.

The SIT went undercover and joined the campaign team of BSP candidate, Chaudhary Kartar Singh, who is contesting against Samajwadi Party's Madan Bhaiya in the Khekra constituency.

Madan Bhaiya, known for his muscle power, has ruled Khekra for two decades. Kartar Singh's muscle men kept these guns in the event of a showdown, but the Election Commission, cleverly replacing State Police with Central Forces, were able to keep even Madan Bhaiya quiet.

The SIT followed Kartar Singh for days, but it was only in his own village, Nithora, that he broke election norms. Hundreds of supporters were supplied local liquor from these huge drums everyday, right up to the polls.

But even for this, Kartar Singh had an explanation. "The voter is God, he can't be swayed by liquor!" he said.

Dinner and liquor parties at safe locations for party supporters and prospective voters was a regular feature in most places, even in the dacoit infested Chitrakoot and Banda districts.
Says SP Candidate from Banda, Seraj Dwaj Singh, " Ending wasteful spending will help society and politics in India.."

CNN-IBN's undercover investigation took the SIT to the election campaign teams of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party candidates posing as party workers from Delhi.

Everywhere they were told that Central paramilitary forces and strict supervision of the Election Commission on the ground had forced guns, muscle men and money away from the election battleground in UP.

Instead Uttar Pradesh's Assembly candidates have had to bring in Mumbai's bar dancers to keep their voters happy.

(With inputs from Manmohan Gupta, Deepak Kumar and Saif Kidwai)