A complaint against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and other prominent BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah and working president JP Nadda, for violating the provisions of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), was lodged with the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) by a delegation of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday.
"Yediyurappa had a video conference meeting from the Vidhan Soudha with working and national BJP presidents regarding the preparation for by-elections related to the mobilisation of funds and for the selection of candidates for it. They had also held another meeting at a Forest Guest House in Malleswaram where the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and the disqualified MLAs with other ministers attended and held discussions with the Advocate General with regard to the Supreme Court case and the elections," KPCC leader V S Ugrappa told reporters here.
On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had announced the dates for the by-polls in Karnataka along with the dates for Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.
"These two acts are in clear violation of MCC and also the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and also under Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code. That is why we lodged a complaint and the CEO reacted positively. We are confident that ultimately cases will be registered and they will be prosecuted," Ugrappa added.
Speaking about the members of the BJP against whom the complaint was lodged, he said: "Today a delegation on behalf of the KPCC met the CEO and lodged a complained against the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, the state's Home, and Law Ministers, and also against Amit Shah and BJP working president JP Nadda."
Congress MP L Hanumanthaiah, who was also a part of the delegation, said that his party held the usage of government property after the dates of the by-elections were announced to be objectionable.
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"The meeting by Yediyurappa took place in the government guest house along with the Advocate General after elections were announced, which is objectionable. If he had held a meeting with his MLAs or his supporters, then it was not our concern. But what is highly objectionable is the fact that disqualified MLAs were also present at the meeting with the Advocate General presided by Yediyurappa," Hanumanthaiah told reporters here.
The by-elections in Karnataka will be held on October 21 in 15 constituencies that were vacated by rebel MLAs of Congress and JD (S). The counting of votes will take place in the same week on October 24.