Ahead of the end of the high-octane electioneering for the 224-assembly seats in Karnataka on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party rushed to the Election Commission to derecognise the Congress over its former president Sonia Gandhi's "protect sovereignty" comment.
Sonia had addressed a rally in Hubbani, with a call to save Karnataka's "reputation, sovereignty and integrity" that was made an issue of complaint by the BJP on Monday.
A BJP delegation led by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav submitted a memorandum to the poll watchdog over the issue.
"Karnataka is a very important member state in the Union of India and any call to protect the sovereignty of a member state of the Union of India amounts to a call for secession and is fraught with perilous and pernicious consequences," the party said.
Speaking to reporters, party leader Tarun Chugh cited the Representation of the People Act and said the Congress party should be derecognised.
The BJP also submitted a copy of the Congress tweet quoting Gandhi on the issue.
Congress accuses EC of partisan in issuing notices
The Congress also accused the Election Commission of partisan in issuing notices to it on the BJP's complaint, but not a single notice to Prime Minister Modi violating model code of conduct.
The Congress appears ahead in the BJP-ruled state, though Janata Dal(S) may tilt the balance in the estimates by the pollsters.
Both major parties, BJP and Congress, are aiming at a ‘government with full majority’. The ruling BJP is facing a tough challenge to retain power as it battles allegations of corruption, communal polarisation and demands for caste reservation – all of which could upset the saffron cart.
Congress's 'development card'
The saffron party has been preparing to fight the anti-incumbency in this all-important assembly election, and is using its ‘development card’ to counter the anti-corruption campaign run by rival Congress.
Wanting to emerge as ‘king’ and not ‘kingmaker’, the JD(S) led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda was seen putting all its might into campaigning. It is hoping to get the required numbers to form a government on its own.
No Uncertified Advertisements During Silence Period: EC to Parties
No party or candidate shall publish any advertisement in the print media on the poll day and one day prior without clearance from the media certification and monitoring committee, the Election Commission said on Sunday in an advisory ahead of the May 10 voting in Karnataka.
Forty-eight hours before the end of polling are considered the silence period.
In the advisory to political parties, the poll authority also emphasised on “clean and serious” campaign as electioneering reached feverish pitch in the southern state. It noted that advertisements of offending and misleading nature vitiate the entire election process.
