New Delhi: The Congress on Monday complained to the Election Commission of India over the alleged violation of poll code by the BJP’s Karnataka government ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls and by the AAP’s Punjab government ahead of the May 10 Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll. While the party is hopeful of wresting power from the ruling BJP in the southern state, the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll has become a matter of prestige for the grand old party in Punjab.
According to former union minister Salman Khurshid, who led the Congress delegation, “The party demanded that all tenders and bids of various departments of Karnataka government as well as those of the Central government related to the state be stopped for the conduct of free and fair elections. Khurshid said that the party raised a complaint in appeal against the refusal to grant permission to the Congress with regard to various advertisements. In its submission before the EC, the Congress leaders pointed out that “in the past, the BJP had run smear campaigns against the grand old party in Karnataka without any restraint.” “Yet the Congress is not being allowed permission to run advertisements that are far tamer in comparison,” said Khurshid.
According to the Congress veteran, various tenders were issued by the BJP government in Karnataka 48 hours before the declaration of the model code of conduct in the southern state. “These tenders worth a staggering Rs 16,000 crore are a direct and blatant attempt to influence the outcome of the state elections. We prayed before the ECI that these be scrutinised, the offending individuals penalised and the same, at the very least, be injuncted until the conclusion of the election,” said Khurshid.
Also read: Karnataka Polls: Rs 100 cr of cash, items seized in code violations last 10 days
The Congress leader further said that in the office of the state CEO, there are people, who have been serving for more than six years and continue in their posts in violation of rules. “This is a violation of the ECI’s guidelines, which state that officers, are to be changed after every three years to prevent bias. The Congress has submitted a list of all such officers and asked for the rule to be enforced,” said Khurshid.
The Congress delegation also lodged complaints with the ECI related to the May 10 Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, which was necessitated due to the passing away of sitting MP Santokh Singh. According to Khurshid, their party complained with regard to the order of the Punjab government transferring various IPS, PCS and PPS officers to allegedly favour the ruling party and putting up photos of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on ‘Aam Aadmi’ clinics, which is a direct violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
The Congress delegation consisting of Salman Khurshid, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Pratap Bajwa, Rajya Sabha MP Nasser Hussain and AICC Secretary Pranav Jha (both attached to Congress president's office) and AICC secretary attached to the media department Vineet Punia briefed Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel over the Karnataka and Punjab issues.
