MP Elections 2023: Congress Approaches ECI Over BJP Poll Expenditure

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Congress leaders on Friday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against BJP candidate from Vijayraghogarh Sanjay Pathak alleging that the MLA did not submit the correct expenditure report.

Both Congress and BJP are not only contesting each other in the ensuing assembly elections, but they are also involved in fault findings.

The Congress claimed that Pathak made 23 high definition videos at a cost of Rs 23 lakh and shared them on social media, but he did not give the details to the ECI.

Congress leader JP Dhanopia said that the BJP candidates are spending huge amounts of money in the elections, but they are hiding it from the ECI and not submitting the expenditure details. He claimed that the MLA had made videos worth Rs 23,25,000, but did not give the details to the ECI.

Similarly, the Congress had filed a complaint against MLA and candidate from Suwasra Hardeep Singh for allegedly using children for election campaigns.

In Tikamgarh constituency, BJP candidate Rakesh Giri had prepared two HD videos worth around Rs 2 lakh, but it was not shown in his election expenditures.

The candidate from Trana of Ujjain district Tarachand Goyal had also shot a video and the Congress had demanded to incorporate Rs 2 lakh in his expenditures.

Dhanopia also claimed that the government employees who are casting their votes through postal ballots. The officials who are involved in election duty are not following the ‘SOP’.

“The envelope of the postal ballot is not being sealed, a covered place is not prepared for casting the vote. Those employees who are given duty in another district or block are not given an opportunity for casting their vote. And the staff posted at the minister's office, not clear instructions are given to them,” he alleged.

Published on: Saturday, November 11, 2023, 12:51 AM IST