Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil today met Maharashtra Election Commissioner J S Saharia and demanded strict action against the BJP for allegedly breaching the election code of conduct in the Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal Corporation polls. Submitting “detailed proof” of the same, Vikhe also complained to the Commissioner regarding the “partisan role” of KDMC Commissioner Ravindran favouring the BJP.
The Leader Of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also reminded the EC that no action had been taken regarding their previous complaint made against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for violating poll code by declaring Rs 6,500 crore package for KDMC during his Dombivili campaign meeting, when election code of conduct was in effect.
“We all know that Fadnavis is a BJP star campaigner in KDMC polls, but BJP’s specially created Facebook page for KDMC polls blatantly uses KDMC Commissioner E Ravindran’s photo for their campaign, making him their star campaigner too,” Congress MLC from Kalyan, Sanjay Dutt, who accompanied Vikhe to the SEC, said.
“If this is not breach of model code of conduct, then what else is. Why is state EC not taking cognizance and appropriate action in the said matter. “Is Ravindran a BJP functionary that his photo can be so misused by the BJP in their election campaign? Why is he quiet about it or has he given his silent consent for it. The question is can he,” Dutt asked.
His partisan behavior only reinforces doubts in the minds of people that he is permitting his office to be misused to favour the BJP, he said. “His (Ravindran’s) action of targeting Congress’ district president and corporator Sachin Pote alone, without proper enquiry, for disqualification on alleged grounds of abetting unauthorised construction, when more than a dozen party corporators (mainly those belonging to BJP and Sena) who have been indicted on similar grounds, have been allowed to go scot-free, clearly proves his bias,” Dutt alleged.
“Congress is committed to seek justice from the highest quarters against such unfair prejudiced conspiracy to deprive our party leader of his fundamental constitutional right to seek public mandate through the democratic process of polls. From their such desperate actions, it is obvious, that the BJP wants to score in KDMC polls, through hook or crook,” he said.
