Kolkata, Jan. 26 -- Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday echoed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the ruling party in centre was using the Special Investigation Team (SIR) excercise to "cut votes" in states where it faces electoral losses.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the BJP's SIR exercise was "not for increasing votes, but for cutting votes". He claimed that in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, a higher number of votes were being removed deliberately in constituencies where the BJP was losing.

"The BJP's SIR (Special Investigation Team) process is not for increasing votes, but for cutting votes. In Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, i...