3 BJP allies say EC must clear air, can't lose people's trust

Three NDA partners - Chirag Paswan's LJP(RV), Upendra Kushwaha's RLM, and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP - Friday urged the Election Commission (EC) to explain its position on the political controversy surrounding the electoral process and implementation of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying this was necessary to dispel doubts among the public.Paswan, LJP(RV) chief and Union food processing industries minister, told reporters in Patna he did not intend, as part of govt, to "defend what is a constitutional body", but wanted EC to address concerns among people. "If questions are being raised about its conduct, it is the responsibility of EC, especially the chief election commissioner (Gyanesh Kumar), to present its side firmly," Paswan said.