LUCKNOW, Sept. 28 -- Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday hit out at the BJP for defending the Election Commission (EC), alleging that it was involved in "vote theft" and electoral irregularities. Addressing the media at the party headquarters here, Yadav urged the EC to save its credibility and not work at the "behest" of any political party. He claimed that the SP had repeatedly lodged complaints with the Election Commission over "vote theft" and electoral malpractices, but no action was taken. "There were large-scale irregularities in the Rampur by-election and subsequent bypolls in UP, where voters were prevented from exercising their franchise, names were deleted, and officials were posted arbitrarily, yet the EC remained silent," he said. Yadav said senior SP leaders would attend the INDIA bloc meeting on September 30 as he would be busy with another programme. He said he had already spoken to the Congress president about the meeting. "We defeated the BJP in 2024 and we will wipe out the ruling party in 2027. The SP will increase 27,000 votes in every constituency to reduce the BJP's fake votes. The BJP's defeat in UP is certain," Yadav said. htc...