E-Paper
BJP to move EC against Manmohan
The party has accused PM of violating model code of conduct by promising an economic package to an Assam district.
Pushing up the political heat on the eve of Assembly poll in Assam on Monday, BJP on Sunday accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of violating the model code of conduct by promising an economic package for victims of ethnic violence in the state's Karbi Anglong district.
BJP said it would move the Election Commission against him but the Prime Ministers' Office denied the charge.
"The Prime Minister of the country has violated the model code of conduct and code of governance. Such type of promises during electioneering are definitely breach of the election code of conduct," BJP party spokesman Prakash Javdekar said in New Delhi.
He said while the Assam unit of the party would be meeting the state Election Commission, the BJP central leadership would meet the Chief Election Comissioner in Delhi on Monday.
Alleging that the Prime Minister has announced the package with "defeat staring the Congress Party in its face", he said "this smacks of political immorality. If he was genuinely concerned, the package should have been announced six months back".
The BJP spokesman said the party was "amused" that while the Election Commission took note of Party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan's press conference in Assam earlier in the day, "which is a non-issue, the poll panel has not taken cognisance of the Prime Minister's indiscretion".
The Prime Minister's media advisor Sanjaya Baru said representatives of some political parties have alleged that the Prime Minister had announced a package for the autonomus district of Karbi Anglong in Assam.
"This is factually incorrect," he said, adding the Prime Minister has not made any such statement.
"The Prime Minister was in Assam and met representatives of the autonomous district council of Karbi Anglong and received a memorandum submitted by them.
"The Prime Minister did not make any announcement that contravenes election laws," he added.
