NEW DELHI: Day after an FIR was registered against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for flouting COVID-19 norms during his recent visit to poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, he asked Election Commission to give a demo on how to do election campaigning amid the pandemic. He alleged that "EC's bias is visible at the beginning" of the polls.
On Sunday, an FIR was registered against Baghel and others in Noida for violating COVID-19 norms while doing door-to-door campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections.
Baghel is currently in Delhi.
Speaking to ANI today, Baghel, who is Congress' senior observer for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, said, "Why was the FIR only against me? How will an election campaign happen like this? Why was there no FIR against BJP's election campaign in Amroha? EC's bias is visible at the beginning itself. I will again go to UP, what will we do if not campaign?."
"The Election Commission should give a demo on how to do election campaigning. We will do it exactly like that. BJP has been campaigning door-to-door for five days in Amroha, why are there no actions on that? I campaigned only yesterday. EC should be fair," he added.
The Congress leader started this door-to-door campaign for the polls after the Election Commission on Saturday put a ban on holding public rallies and gatherings in view of the spurt in Coronavirus cases.
Baghel distributed 'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon' wrist bands during this campaign on Sunday.
'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon' campaign was commenced by Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra last year to woo women voters in the state.
Meanwhile, elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases.
The counting of votes will take place on March 10. Notably, Congress has been out of power in the state for more than 30 years.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.