The BJP on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders of “appealing to Muslim people’s sentiments for securing votes in the ongoing Jharkhand Assembly elections.”
The memorandum, signed by BJP legal and legislative cell national convener Pinky Anand and senior leaders Shyam Jaju, Balendur Shekhar and M.C. Diwan, charged the Congress leaders with making statements outside Jharkhand seeking to influence the voters there through news reports.
The BJP alleged that such statements were also made by Union Minister of State for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal and other senior Congress leaders in violation of the model code of conduct.
The party took exception to Mr. Gandhi’s statement that a Muslim could become the Prime Minister and alleged that it was made to woo Muslim voters.
It accused Mr. Jaiswal of promising, in Kanpur, reservation to Muslims. The Election Commission should act against the leaders and restrain them, it said.