3 weeks ago
103
The Congress has lodged a complaint to the Election Commission against the former Minister and BJP leader N. Mahesh for violating the election code of conduct by not only issuing defamatory statements against a community but also passing remarks against the personal life of the Congress candidate for Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency.
The party’s Mysuru district Legal Cell urged the Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar Shilpa Nag, who is also the Election Officer for Chamarajanagar, to bar Mr. Mahesh from campaigning in the elections scheduled to be held on April 26 and initiate action as per law against him for the provocative statements against a community and personal remarks against Congress candidate Sunil Bose.
Meanwhile, Mysuru District Congress Committee president B.J. Vijaykumar told reporters that video clippings of Mr. Mahesh’s statements that violate the election code of conduct had been submitted to the Election Officer along with the complaint.
He said the party was demanding not only a ban on Mr. Mahesh canvassing for votes during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections but also the disqualification of the BJP candidate for Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency. He demanded that two separate criminal cases should be booked against Mr. Mahesh for his utterances.
Mr. Vijaykumar said the BJP leader had allegedly named a section of the Dalits for his loss in the Assembly elections from the Kollegal (reserved) constituency. Such statements amounting embarrassing and hurting the members belonging to the sub-caste, Mr. Vijaykumar said citing the election code of conduct that bars any party or candidate from any activity that cause mutual hatred or tension among different castes or communities.
He said Mr. Mahesh’s remarks against the personal life of Mr. Sunil Bose were also violative of the election code that bars parties or candidates from criticizing the private life of candidates, which is not connected to public activities.
