The BJP on November 27 accused the Congress government in Karnataka of putting out advertisements in the Telangana media with an eye on the Assembly election in the State, and urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action against the Congress.
A BJP delegation, which included Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar (BJP in-charge of Telangana), along with party leaders Sudhanshu Trivedi and Om Pathak, submitted a complaint to the EC, stating that the Congress had violated the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi after meeting with the EC, Mr. Yadav said that the Karnataka government had for the last two days been publishing advertisements in English and Telugu media of Telangana.
Citing election rules and regulations, he said it was a “corrupt practice” aimed at influencing polls and asserted that such an action was more evidence that the Congress was “devaluing democratic institutions and norms”.
“What the Congress has done is using public money to influence election in another State,” he said, calling for legal action against the Congress.
Mr. Trivedi, in the same press conference asked the Congress if the government of Karnataka had brought out advertisements in all Indian languages and not just in Telugu and English. If not, he said, the Congress’s action was “violative of rules”.
“The Congress party and the Government of Karnataka should be held accountable,” Mr. Trivedi said.
Mr. Pathak urged the EC to take “effective actions to send out a clear message”.
Assembly election is due in Telangana on November 30, with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the Congress and the BJP locked in a keen battle.
