The State Congress on Saturday petitioned the Election Commission of India against Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rajesh Gowda and others for “committing corrupt practices” to lure voters in Sira constituency, which will go to the polls on Tuesday.
The Congress, in its complaint to the EC through Chief Election Officer Sanjiv Kumar, claimed that the Chief Minister had violated the model code of conduct by making a statement during the campaigning on Friday that the government would take steps to fill 60 tanks in Sira if the voters elected the BJP candidate.
Mr. Yediyurappa also promised the release of ₹5 lakh for each house under the government’s housing schemes and the inclusion of Kunchitiga Vokkaliga community in the backward classes category 2B. The Vokkaliga community has more than 55,000 voters in Sira constituency.
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Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that the process for including the Kunchitiga community in 2B had commenced.
The Congress has named BJP MP Pratap Simha, Chitradurga MP A. Narayanaswamy, and BJP candidate in Sira Rajesh Gowda in the complaint. Seeking action against these BJP leaders, the Congress said “the promises made by these leaders are nothing but bribe and undue influence on the voters of Sira.”
Noting that the Congress was not against the filling of the Madalur tank by drawing water from Hemavathi reservoir, the complaint stated that Mr. Yediyurappa as Chief Minister had failed in the past to take measures in this regard. The Congress termed the Chief Minister’s words a “false promise”.
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The Congress also lodged a complaint to the EC against the BJP’s Munirathna, claiming that the R.R. Nagar bypoll candidate had affixed stickers on most of the houses in R.R. Nagar in Bengaluru to identify voters and distribute money as bribes ahead of polling.