Cong seeks removal 14 MP ministers for poll code violation

    Bhopal, Oct 13 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh Congress has
approached the Election Commission seeking removal of 14 non-
MLA ministers from the state BJP government for allegedly
violating the model code of conduct by misusing their
ministerial positions ahead of the November 3 bypolls.
    The ruling BJP, however, denied the allegations,
saying none of its candidates misused power or violated any
provision of the model code of conduct.
    The 14 ministers, who resigned from the Congress and
their Assembly membership earlier this year and joined the
BJP, are contesting the upcoming by-elections in the state.
    The Madhya Pradesh Congress unit on Monday submitted a
complaint against them to the state chief electoral officer.
    "These ministers are misusing their positions to
influence voters by announcing false schemes, performing false
foundation laying ceremonies by virtue of their clout as
ministers and thus, violating the model code of conduct,"
Congress spokesman Narendra Singh Saluja alleged.
    "The officials of departments held by these ministers
are working under the ruling BJP's pressure to campaign for
the party, he further charged.
    Therefore, these ministers should be immediately
removed from their posts for the by-elections to be conducted
in a free and fair manner, Saluja said.
    However, BJP state spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi
dismissed the allegations as baseless, and said those
levelling such charges are "desperate, totally disappointed
and mentally disturbed".
    "All these ministers are now in the peoples court.
Let them decide their fate," he said.
    "All the allegations of misuse of power or government
machinery are baseless and the ministers are following all
provisions of the model of conduct, he added.
    By-elections for 28 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh
will be held on November 3.
    The bypolls were necessitated following resignation of
25 MLAs of the Congress and death of three sitting
legislators. PTI MAS
GK GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)