MP Congress asks ECI to take action against BJP candidate for using Lord Ram's name in campaign

By Archana Prasad, Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], September 24 : Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding action against BJP candidate and state Transport Minister Gobind Singh Rajput from Surkhi assembly constituency for seeking votes in the name of Lord Rama.
The complaint was made on September 21.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee in its letter alleged that Gobind Singh Rajput is misusing the government's machinery and demanded that Rajput be removed from the post of minister at the earliest.
The complaint was made after Singh took out 'ramleela rathyatra' from September 2 to September 13, in which the Congress alleged that he is misguiding the voters in the by-polls.
"We urge the Election Commission to take action against minister Govind Singh Rajput, who is not an MLA and has been made a minister just to fight the Vidhan Sabha by-polls. He is misusing ministerial post and through it also misusing the administrative wing and machinery and the religious feelings of simple-minded voters' are being exploited to seek votes in the name of Lord Ram," the complaint letter stated.
While talking to ANI, Congress spokesperson JP Dhanopia said, "Gobind Singh Rajput from Surkhi assembly constituency has started election campaign for the upcoming by-polls in the name of Lord Ram. He is dragging religious aspects into politics for his personal benefit. He has been distributing calendars with images of Ram Mandir, BJP party symbol and his photo imprinted on it."
He also alleged that "Singh has been telling voters that if a voter votes for the lotus symbol (BJP's party symbol) a piece of brick will be installed in Ram Mandir (Ayodhya) on behalf of that voter's name. We demand immediate action by Election commission on this act."
Congress's MP wing demanded immediate action against the said complaint and sought his removal from the state Cabinet for the sake of an unbiased bypoll in Surkhi, Madhya Pradesh.
As the dates of by-polls in 28 assembly seats is yet to be declared by the election body, the model code of conduct (MCC) has not been enforced yet.
By-elections are due on 28 seats which fell vacant following the resignations of 24 Congress MLAs and the death of two legislators earlier.
In March, 22 Congress MLAs resigned from the state Assembly paving the way for BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take over as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for the fourth time.