The Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) along with other opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday accused the ruling BJP of using unfair means to get its candidates elected in the recently concluded biennial polls for the Upper House.
The parties had, last week, petitioned the Election Commission on the matter, submitting a CD recording as evidence that the Jharkhand government, headed by Chief Minister Raghubar Das, had been complicit in the matter.
On Tuesday members sought the setting up of a House Committee to probe a CD that allegedly contains audio recordings of a senior IPS officer threatening the husband of an opposition MLA to get her to vote in favour of a candidate of the ruling party.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Sanjiv Kumar (JMM) alleged that on the eve of polling, two opposition MLAs were harassed by reviving old cases while a JMM MLA was arrested in a petty case to prevent him from casting his vote.
While other MLAs lodged in jails were allowed to cast their vote, the three opposition legislators could not, leading to he victory of the ruling party candidate by one vote, he claimed.
Without mentioning names, Mr. Kumar said the ruling party used allurements as well as threats to win over opposition MLAs.
According to local media reports, the CD allegedly contains conversation between the officer and Yogendra Sao, husband of Congress MLA Nirmala Devi.
It also contains talks between Mr. Sao and the Chief Minister's political adviser.
Maintaining that a copy of the CD will be made available to the Union Home Minister, Mr Kumar demanded action against the police officer.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad also demanded sacking of the officer involved, alleging that it had become a modus operandi under the present dispensation to use threats nd coercion.
Maintaining that such undemocratic acts were unacceptable, the Congress leader demanded a House Committee to be formed to go into the issue and recommend action.
