Grand alliance says Modi violated poll code, seeks EC action

NEW DELHI: The grand alliance today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating the Model Code of Conduct by making announcements in his Mann Ki Baat broadcast aimed at "influencing" voters in Bihar and urged the Election Commission to take stern action, including suspension of BJP as a national party.

In a complaint submitted to the EC, JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi said Modi "violated" the Commission's guidelines by announcing that interviews for non-gazetted Group B, C and D posts will no longer be held from next year and also by talking about gold monetisation schemes.

"In complete violations of the Model Code of Conduct and utter defiance of the specific directions of the Commission, he (Modi) made statements," the complaint, which has also been endorsed by Congress, said.

It also objected to Modi's statement that he was going to London to inaugurate the house where B R Ambedkar had lived as a student.

"All these announcements were deliberately made to influence and induce the voters in Bihar election with the sole purpose to seek votes," it said.

Demanding action, the complaint noted that the Commission in its September 18 direction had said that nothing should be said in his radio broadcast which may be construed as inducement to voters or as having any impact on the elections.

The EC's direction had come after the grand alliance of Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress had demanded a ban on Modi's regular radio broadcast in which he shares his thoughts on a host of issues.

The conditions imposed on the Prime Minister by the Commission had been violated, the complaint said.

It added that Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi was earlier found by the commission to have violated the EC's guidelines by making certain promises.

BJP's recognition as a national party should either be suspended or withdrawn following these series of violations, it demanded.