India News | J'khand Bypoll: Cong Files Complaint, Accuses BJP of Violating MCC

Ranchi, Jun 6 (PTI) The Jharkhand unit of the Congress on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that BJP president JP Nadda violated the model code of conduct by "canvassing" for his party's Mandar bypoll nominee at a tribal rally, which was scheduled to be a "non-electoral" programme.

Addressing the 'Dharti Aba Birsa Munda Vishwas' rally at Ranchi's Morabadi ground on Sunday, Nadda attacked the JMM-led coalition in the state and gave a clarion call to oust the dispensation, which is headed by someone who has become "synonymous with corruption".

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"The BJP organised the tribal rally when the nomination process for the bypoll is underway. The appeal made by the BJP national president in favour of his party's candidate was a violation of model code of conduct," Congress spokesperson Rajiv Rajan told reporters after filing the complaint with the office of the chief electoral officer.

He also said the Congress, an ally of the ruling coalition, wanted to know whether the saffron camp sought permission from the CEO's office to organise the programme which was scheduled to be a "non-electoral" event.

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BJP candidate for the bypoll to Mandar assembly segment, Gangotri Kujur, filed her nomination papers during the day in presence of party's state president Deepak Prakash, leader of opposition Babulal Marandi and AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto.

The Congress fielded former MLA Bandhu Tirkey's daughter Shilpi Neha Tirkey for the by-election.

The bypoll to the assembly seat was necessitated after Bandhu Tirkey was disqualified as a member of the Jharkhand Assembly on April 8, following a judgment by a special CBI court.

The special CBI court had on March 28 sentenced Tirkey, a former minister in the state government, to three years in jail in a corruption case.

The nomination process for the bypoll ended on Monday.

As many as 19 candidates filed their nomination papers for the by-election and these documents will be scrutinised on Tuesday.

The bypoll will be held on June 23 and votes will be counted on June 26.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)