BJP moves EC against Congress, Kamal Nath

NEW DELHI: The BJP complained to the Election Commission of India against the Congress and its Madhya Pradesh unit chief Kamal Nath for allegedly inciting communal passions by appealing to a particular religious community, indulging in corrupt practices and holding opinion polls in the form of paid news.

A delegation comprising Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, SS Ahluwalia and party MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Anil Baluni met the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners on Wednesday to lodge the complaint.

The ruling party charged Kamal Nath with appealing exclusively to Muslim voters to “mobilise 90% votes for Congress in Muslim booths”.


“It is tragic that Kamal Nath chose to even divide the booths along religious lines. He is clearly appealing to voters on the basis of religious denomination, which agitates the spirit of free and fair elections,” the delegation told the EC. It also submitted a clip doing the rounds on WhatsApp. The BJP demanded that criminal action be initiated against Kamal Nath and his accomplices for committing electoral and other offences, and dividing voters on communal lines.

The party also alleged that the Congress engaged in paid news and offered inducements. In its complaint, it said that in “gross violation” of the Representation of People’s Act, India News Channel had broadcast and published an opinion poll conducted by C-Fore on November 18, and thus violated electoral laws, including the model code of conduct, “at the behest of Indian National Congress”.