Maharashtra: Congress files complaint against BJP over newspaper advertisement
May 05, 2024
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 5 : A Congress delegation filed a complaint with Additional Chief Electoral Officers of Maharashtra against an advertisement published in the newspaper by the Bharatiya Janata Party and demanded action.
The delegation was led by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Atul Londhe.
The front page advertisement allegedly stated "Where do you want your vote to be celebrated, India or Pakistan?"
Speaking to reporters, Atul Londhe said, "Realizing that voting in the first two phases have gone against him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now brought religious agenda and Pakistan into the election campaign. Today a leading daily has an advertisement on the front page stated 'Vote for India or Pakistan'."
"This advertisement has been given by BJP along with its allies NCP Ajit Pawar faction and Shiv Sena Shinde faction," he added.
The Congress leader said that they have lodged complaint against BJP with the Additional Chief Electoral Officer, adding that they had earlier complained against Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari Ram Satpute, Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
"We have asked why the Election Commission is taking so much time to act. We have submitted evidence and demanded the state election officers to cancel the candidature of the candidates of BJP as well as those of Eknath Shinde factions and Ajit Pawar factions," Londe said.
Last month, Maharashtra unit of the Congress has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state against the Shiv Sena alleging violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) and election rules by using the government properties for electoral campaignining.
The complaint submitted by Atul Londhe, chief spokesperson of Maharashtra Congress, alleged that the Shiv Sena has been unlawfully utilizing MSRTC (ST) buses for the Lok Sabha elections campaigning by putting their banners on these buses.
Maharashtra sends 48 seats to the Lok Sabha. Voting on 13 seats has been completed in the first and second phases, while 11 seats will go to polling in the third phase on May 7. The counting is scheduled on June 4.
In 2019, BJP won 23 seats, while its ally undivided Shiv Sena won 18 seats. NCP and Congress could only win four and one seats respectively.
