PM Modi's free ration poll code violation: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress has alleged that PM Narendra Modi's announcement on the extension of the free foodgrain scheme (Garib Kalyan Yojana) for another five years, during the election campaign last Saturday, amounted to violation of the model code of conduct, and asked whether the Election Commission would act on it. The Congress leadership is considering the option of petitioning the EC on the issue.

"PM announced a five-year extension of the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana in the midst of the campaign. This is a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Will the @ECISVEEP take note and act?" said Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh.

SP WATCH

The Congress leadership appeared to be piqued over the harsh language that Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has been using against the Congress in the pretext of airing his unhappiness over the Congress refusing any alliance with the SP in the Madhya Pradesh elections. Yet, the Congress leaders are also conscious of the fact it is the Congress that is more in need of the SP for the LS polls and, therefore, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge or some other party leader could reach out to Yadav -- just as the Congress leadership did with JDU ally Nitish Kumar after his talk about the state of the INDIA bloc.