HYDERABAD, Aug 25: Levelling accusation of massive rigging and strong-armed tactics by the MQM against its rivals, MMA’s Ittehad-i-Millat Group on Thursday announced boycott of elections in the City and Latifabad talukas.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jamaat-i-Islami office MMA’s MNA Sahibzada Khair Mohammad, MPA Rehman Rajput and MMA district president Abdul Waheed Qureshi alleged that polling stations were taken over by MQM activists and the election commission was informed on several occasions about pre-poll rigging but in vain.

They said in presence of Rangers and police their polling agents were ousted with no action from authorities against miscreants. They said bogus votes were polled in polling stations.

They said Muttahida activists occupied TB primary school near Qaba Mosque unit-6 for bogus voting while presiding officer was held hostage. PP MPA Zahid Bhurgari said his party supported MMA’s stand but it would not leave the field open for the government-backed candidates.

Meanwhile, MQM’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Dr Farooque Sattar, on Thursday accused MMA and PPP of resorting to violence in Hyderabad and Nawabshah districts in order to influence the results of LG elections.

He said several MQM workers received injuries as they were attacked by their rivals at different polling stations.

Speaking at a press conference at the MQM’s zonal office he said the MMA and PPP-backed groups of candidates were not in a position in interior of Sindh including Larkana, Nawabshah and Jamshoro to form district governments.