Mallikarjun Kharge seeks 15 days more to reply to ECI notice 'due to hectic election campaign'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has sought 15 days from the Election Commission of India to reply to its notice, based on BJP's allegation that party leader Rahul Gandhi violated model code in his campaign speeches.

"I am caught up with election campaign. Therefore, I have written to the Election Commission, requesting for 15 more days to reply to its notice," Kharge said on Monday evening. ECI had given him time till Monday to respond. Congress functionaries said a series of campaign trips has been lined up for Kharge in the coming days across states.

"Kharge ji has requested ECI for more time due to his ongoing hectic election campaign," a party functionary said.


Political observers said the replies may not come any time soon as election campaign was set to peak in the coming weeks. ECI's notice to Kharge in his capacity as Congress president followed BJP's complaint that alleged Gandhi made "derisive and obnoxious utterances" against Modi and that Gandhi "created linguistic and cultural divide" during the campaign speeches.

Also, Congress on Monday filed 20 more complaints to ECI, alleging BJP's violation of electoral norms by use of religion. It included one against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for alleging in his campaign speech that Congress 'will implement Sharia law' if voted to power. Congress also referred to the pending complaints against various BJP leaders, including the PM, for false claims on the Congress manifesto. The petition also referred to reported cases of booth capturing, money distribution and poll violence in various states. "We have urged the ECI to stop BJP leaders from invoking religion in their campaign to incite communal feelings. We also urged the ECI to act against BJP for using posters of Lord Ram in campaign," AICC functionary Rajiv Shukla said after a Congress delegation met ECI officials on Monday.