New Delhi: Congress party, on Tuesday, approached Election Commission of India demanding a complaint being registered against Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal and BJP chief JP Nadda against the publishing of a front-page advertisement in all leading dailies of the state, predicting the victory of BJP amid the ongoing elections.
While addressing the media, Senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said, "BJP has predicted their victory in upper Assam in a front-page advertisement of a leading daily. It is a clear violation of the law. As per the rules of the Election Commission of India, even if a tarot reader predicts anything during elections then strict action will be taken. Here, a political party, which is in power at the Center, is doing it."
Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, who was also present during the Congress delegation meet with EC officials, said, "This is totally illegal and contradictory to Section 126 of Representation of People's Act as also the Election Commission's own circular which prohibits the dissemination of any prediction, even by a third party, astrologers or tarot readers or by any political analyst. The Election Commission has assured us that they've called for a report from its observers on the ground in Assam and they will take it positively by tomorrow."
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Congress raised another issue in front of the Election Commission, alleging that the BJP Assam leader and state minister Hemant Biswa Sarma is threatening Bodoland People's Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary of his arrest by NIA.
"Hemant Biswa Sarma has been openly intimidating and threatening the alliance partner of Congress, by saying that it will get it's leaders arrested through NIA. This is openly seeking the help of Central Investigative Agency for the ongoing elections, which is again totally prohibited under IPC and under Representation of People's Act," Kamat said to reporters.
He further informed, "The Election Commission has assured that it will seek a report from the minister as well as its observers and will take an action in this regard."
In a memorandum submitted to EC, it has been alleged that Sarma has also attempted to "influence" the voters not to vote for the Congress Alliance, including BPF. "By the said actions, Shri Sarma has sought to cast a malicious and malafide impression on the public at large, that on account of the undue strength of BJP led Central Government, managing the central agencies," it further added.
