The BJP has lodged a complaint against Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s interview to an English newspaper on Thursday. The complaint signed by National General Sectary P Murlidhar Rao and National Executive Member N Indrasena Reddy, alleges Rahul Gandhi of indulging in paid news and influencing voters before polling.
BJP in its complaint said that interview was against the sanctity of election and its model of conduct, as it was intended to influence voters just before the polls. In the interview by Rahul Gandhi given to a Hyderabad based English language daily, he had boasted about his party’s high winning chances in Telanaga, which according to the allegations is against the model code of conduct, applied 48 hours before polling.
The delegation to election commission comprised of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and BJP’s media-in-charge Anil Baluni.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP after meeting Election Commission: We’ve demanded immediate action against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for influencing voters through paid news under the garb of his interview in a Hyderabad newspaper on 6 December. #TelanganaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/ksDWaI8jl2
— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2018
Naqvi addressed media after meeting poll officials and said, “Just a day before the polling in Telangana and Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi through his interview, which was actually a paid news, tried to influence voters and undermine the electoral process. It is a violation of electoral reforms.”
Rahul Gandhi in his interview had cited some opinion polls to claim that BJP is losing all five states and Congress winning them all, which BJP said was against the letter and spirit of election reforms. BJP has also lodged a complaint against the newspaper for publishing one-sided news and Gandhi’s interview, a day before polling.
“The interview goes against the very spirit and parameters of the permitted coverage in the compendium of poll panel’s instructions on the media-related matters.” BJP further added.
Telangana’s voters have sealed the fate of the parties in EVMs on 7 December. Poll results for five states, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram will be declared on 11 December.
