BENGALURU: The Congress on Monday turned the heat on the BJP, holding a protest outside the Election Commission office and chanting slogans, alleging that EC officials had failed to take action against the ruling party, despite formal written complaints.
Their main contention was that Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was invoking sectarian sentiments by appealing to a certain section of people to vote for the BJP. “Apprehend Yediyurappa, he has committed a grave wrong, asking Lingayat-Veerashaivas to vote for BJP,’’ Congress workers shouted, as they sat in dharna. They pointed out that on November 23 in Gokak, Belagavi, Yediyurappa was campaigning for “rebel number one Ramesh Jarkiholi” when he had invoked the community. It is “a violation of law” under the Model Code of Conduct, Representation of People’s Act and Indian Penal Code, and also violates a 2017 Supreme Court judgment, they said.
“Across the country, the BJP has thrown the Constitution to the winds and is forming governments without numbers. Where are the rules?” they demanded. Congress workers, led by MLC Prakash Rathod, District Congress presidents Rajkumar, Shekar and Krishnappa, former mayor Ramachandrappa and MLC Harish Kumar, gathered outside the EC office on Seshadri Road around noon.
Prakash Rathod told TNIE, “We met the Chief Electoral Officer and urged him to initiate action against BS Yediyurappa.’’ He said that in Hunsur, EC officials found about 35,000 sarees, pictures, handbills, pamphlets and other election material belonging to the BJP, but no action was taken.
The Congress also sought action against CM’s son BY Raghavendra and DyCM Laxman Savadi for forcing two JDS candidates, Shivalinga Shivacharya Swamiji and Guru Dashyal, to withdraw from the fray in Hirekerur and Athani respectively. The Congress alleged that the pontiff’s mutt was promised financial assistance, while Guru Dashyal was offered a “juicy position” in the government. The JDS, too, raised this issue with the EC, urging action against Yediyurappa under relevant sections of the law.