Cong Govt in Karnataka Giving Ads in Telangana to Influence Assembly Polls: BJP Moves EC for Action

The BJP on Monday said the Congress government in Karnataka has been putting out advertisements in the Telangana media with an eye on the assembly polls in the state, and urged the Election Commission to take action against the party.

A BJP delegation, including Union minister Bhupender Yadav, former minister Prakash Javadekar and party leaders Sudhanshu Trivedi and Om Pathak, submitted a complaint to the EC, saying the Congress has violated the Representation of the People Act and the Model Code of Conduct.

Yadav told reporters that the Karnataka government has been publishing advertisements in English and vernacular media of Telangana for the past few days.

Citing poll rules and regulations, he said it is a “corrupt practice” aimed at influencing polls and asserted that such action is another evidence of the opposition party devaluing democratic institutions and norms.

The BJP has urged the EC to take action against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other related members of his government and the Congress. What the Congress has done is using public money to influence elections in another state, he said, calling for legal action.

Trivedi asked the Congress did the Karnataka government published advertisements in all Indian languages and, if not, if its action was violative of the rules.

“The Congress and the Karnataka government should be held accountable,” he said. Pathak said the EC should take effective actions to send out a clear message.

“All elections laws and rules expressly prohibit the use of government machinery or funds to run party campaigns so much so the parties and candidates are not even allowed to address press conferences in government buildings. This is a case of an absolute abuse of state government resources and public funds to promote the party’s interest and run its campaign,” the BJP told the poll panel.

The Model Code of Conduct, the BJP said, notes many times advertisements highlighting welfare schemes and achievements of the central and state governments are published by “some non-poll going states in the editions of newspapers having circulation in the states where elections are going on”.

The Election Commission has declared it to be a violation of the code, the BJP said.

Assembly polls are due in Telangana on November 30, with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the Congress and the BJP locked in a keen battle.