Even as the office of Madhya Pradesh Chief Election Officer (CEO) has sought reply from the state home department over the alleged misuse of police vehicle by Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia during his recent election campaign in Gwalior-Chambal, the Congress is readying to approach the election commission over a controversial statement of Scindia-supporter minister Imarti Devi.
In her latest controversial statement, Imarti Devi is heard saying in a video during a by-poll campaign meet, apparently held on Wednesday, that Congress needs 27 seats to get back to power and the BJP needs only eight seats to retain power.
“Will the ruling party-government sit quietly and allow them to win the seats? The ruling party-government has such power that if I ask four (district) collectors we want these seats, we get them,” the minister is heard saying.
Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja, while sharing the video on Thursday, said that the minister’s statement shows how the BJP wants to win the by-polls by misuse of power. “We will send this video to the election commission and seek action,” Saluja tweeted.
In Bhopal, Imarti Devi, however avoided questions on the issue and said that the model code of conduct was not yet in place and that BJP was fighting the election on the basis of development work. People trusted BJP and they will vote for the party, she said.
Notice to home department
The MP CEO office on September 16 wrote to the home department in context of a complaint by Maharashtra-based cyber activist Saket Gokhale, seeking the department’s reply within three days.
Gokhale had sent a complaint to the CEO office on alleged misuse of police vehicle for political campaigning permitted by the MP director general of police (DGP), attaching a photograph of Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia leaning out and waving from a vehicle bearing a licence number allotted to the police department.
In his complaint, Gokhale had said that a search of transport department data shows that the vehicle was registered in the name of ‘DGP’. He said that though the model code of conduct for by-polls was not yet in place, the blatant misuse of a police vehicle by a political leader casts severe aspersions on the DGP’s ability to remain neutral during campaign the and ensure free and fair elections.
The activist demanded issuing of a show cause notice to the DGP and his transfer to avoid political favouritism during upcoming Assembly by-polls.
Gokhale’s complaint was based on Congress spokesman K.K. Mishra’s tweet where the said photograph was included. While talking to THE WEEK, Mishra said that he had come to know that the home department has said in its reply to the election commission that vehicle was permitted for government tour to the Rajya Sabha MP. “Then how was the MP using the vehicle for election campaign and to slander the ex-chief minister and Congress from public platforms. We will approach the court in this regard,” Mishra said.
Additional CEO of MP, Arun Kumar Tomar, however, told THE WEEK that the CEO office is yet to receive a reply from the home department in the matter.
