Gujarat BJP Chief Abuses Congress; Poll Authorities Order Inquiry

Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani has stirred a controversy by using abusive words to target the Congress, asking voters to identify those trying to disturb peace in the state.

Taking cognisance of Vaghani's remarks, state Chief Electoral Officer S. Murali Krishna has ordered an inquiry

into the matter.

"I have asked the district election officer of Surat to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report," Krishna told reporters in Gandhinagar.

During a poll campaign here on Sunday night for BJP's Surat Lok Sabha seat candidate Darshana Jardosh, Vaghani accused the Congress of trying to create chaos as, he claimed, it had no chance of winning in the city or elsewhere in the state.

"I am telling the Congress, you cannot win in Surat and in the state also, so you are trying to spread hatred and create chaos. Allow the election to take place in a peaceful environment. Allow people to vote for whomsoever they want," he said.

"But you want to create chaos and an atmosphere of fear. One such incident has occurred but if second such incident takes place, we can throw you out of Surat. I want to tell people of the state to recognise those... their intentions are not clean, they want to harass the people," he added.

The BJP leader asked people to press the button having 'lotus' symbol on EVMs and help the BJP get maximum votes.

While Vaghani had not elaborated on the "incident" on Sunday, he Tuesday hinted that he had used the abusive words for Congress leaders like Mohammad Surti, a former minister in the Congress government who was convicted for his involvement in 1993 Surat bomb blast case.

Speaking to reporters in Valsad, Vaghani said, "I had said it earlier too. In which government Mohammad Surti was a minister? Was he a patriot? But, the Congress always indulges in appeasement of minorities. We strongly believe that even minorities are patriots.

"But, the BJP will never tolerate anyone who betrays our country, irrespective of his religion or caste," the BJP leader said.

Polling for all 26 seats in the state will be held in a single phase on April 23, and the results will be declared on May 23.