Karnataka Polls: EC issues show-cause notice to Priyank Kharge for ‘nalayak PM’ remark

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Priyank Kharge, the Congress candidate for Chittapur assembly constituency in Kalaburgi district

for using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech on Monday.

The notice says that Priyank, who is also Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s (KPCC) Communication head, had violated the Model Code of Conduct. He has time up till 5:00 p.m. on Thursday to give an explanation.


The Commission was acting on a complaint filed on Tuesday by BJP leaders including Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Priyank, on Monday, had referred to the PM as ‘nalayak’ (inept). His comment followed Mallikarjun Kharge’s “venomous snake” barb against the PM. Kharge later clarified that his comments were targeted at the BJP’s ideology.

The show-cause notice comes in the wake of the EC’s advisory to all political parties yesterday, telling them to restrain the use of abusive language towards each other and focus on issue-based debate. The advisory had instructed chief electoral officers to take action in case of violations.

AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said in Kalaburgi that neither he nor his son had used any foul language against the PM.