New Delhi, March 4: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday charged the Election Commission of deliberately delaying the release of 2019 Lok Sabha polls schedule, in a bid to provide the Narendra Modi-led central government an extra mile to reach out to voters by inaugurating infrastructure projects and announcing sops.

The announcement of poll schedule would immediately impose the Model Code of Conduct, preventing the government at the Centre and in the states from announcing any major policy changes or rolling out a new scheme or project. LS Polls Schedule Likely To Be Announced By EC Between March 7 and 10: Report

The administration turns accountable to the Election Commission, with the respective poll-bound governments playing the role of a mere caretaker regime.

According to Patel, the delay in announcement of Lok Sabha poll dates is aimed at allowing Modi to use the government machinery for electioneering.

"Using govt functions as an excuse for political rallies, flooding TV/radio and print with political ads. It is seems that EC is giving the government a long rope to campaign till the last moment using public money," the former Union Minister said.

Here's what Ahmed Patel tweeted:

The Election Commission, while responding to the queries on when the polling dates could be announced, said that its officials are moving from state to state to gauge the poll-preparedness. An EC team was also dispatched today to the conflict-ridden region of Jammu & Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Centre is on a project-roll-out spree. On Monday, PM Modi flagged off various development projects in his home-state Gujarat, including the first-phase of Ahmedabad Metro. On Sunday, announced programmes to the tune of Rs 538 crore in his rival, Rahul Gandhi's bastion of Amethi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2019 10:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).