The Congress in Karnataka on Thursday petitioned the Governor alleging that the state government has come to a "standstill" in view of the December 5 bypolls to 15 assembly segments and requested him to issue appropriate directions to the government to attend to public grievances.
The main opposition party also asked the governor to initiate action against Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and few of his ministers for alleged poll code violation, as it accused the Election Commission of becoming a "mute spectator" and not taking any action.
In a letter to governor Vajubhai Vala, submitted to his office, the congress said the BJP has assigned party work to all state cabinet ministers for the by-elections and the model code of conduct is applicable to Belagavi, Ballari, Haveri, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mandya and Mysuru districts.
Governor Vala was not at Raj Bhavan as he is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here.
Listing the cabinet ministers made in-charge of 15 assembly constituencies, it said "The ministers are neither available in Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat) or in the official quarters to the public to air their grievances.
Administration has come to a complete standstill. This is causing great inconvenience to the public at large."
It alleged that chief minister Yediyurappa, who is campaigning in all the 15 segments, was concentrating only on elections without giving time for public grievances.
Administrative decisions are not taken and most officers were not available for redressing the people's grievances, the congress claimed.
"We are told that majority of the officers are on leave or absent from their place of work, the letter added.
It said the congress party has also given umpteen complaints to the Election Commission on misuse of official machinery, violation of the model code of conduct, committing acts of bribery, inducing and coercing of voters by the BJP.
"The EC has become a mute spectator and actions against violation of the model code of conduct are not taken," the party said.
Listing the complaint to the EC against the alleged poll code violation by Yediyurappa, deputy chief minister Govind Karjol, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP candidates- MTB Nagaraj (Hoskote), Anand Singh (Vijayanagara), among others, it requested the governor to initiate action.
The congress has specifically highlighted its complaint to the election commission against Karjol, who has been accused of distributing cash to voters through party workers to woo them to vote in favour of a BJP candidate, and demanded his dismissal.
It also requested the governor to issue appropriate directions to the government to attend to public grievances.
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