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Rediff.com  » News » Cong hits back at CEC, accuses him of favouring BJP

Cong hits back at CEC, accuses him of favouring BJP

Source: PTI
February 11, 2009 22:34 IST
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The Congress on Wednesday accused Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami of being favourable to the Bharatiya Janata Party and cited two incidents -- the CD case and distribution of sarees during a rally -- to buttress its point.

"For three years, the BJP has accused Election Commissioner Navin Chawla of supporting the Congress. The Congress has rejected it several times. Now, we would like to point out how the CEC has been favourable to the BJP," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters in New Delhi.

Tewari said that on April 4, 2007 during the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP had distributed an inflammatory CD and the EC took a suo motu cognisance the next day. He said an FIR was registered against the BJP president in Lucknow and the EC decided that the case will be reviewed from time to time.

The spokesman said that the Chief Electoral Officer of UP wrote a letter to the CEC that a chargesheet has been filed against BJP president Rajnath Singh and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Representation of People's Act.

"Instead of taking action against the BJP, which included freezing of its election symbol, the file went to the CEC, who closed the case," Tewari alleged.

Referring to the distribution of sarees during a rally in Lucknow during the 2004 elections and death of a women in the melee, Tewari said the issue was put into deep freeze by the CEC.

"This makes it clear who is supporting the BJP," Tewari said, adding that the party will give an application to the CEC to reopen the case and demand the freezing of the saffron party's symbol.

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