Congress accuses Gadkari, BJP of violating poll code, writes to EC seeking action

The Congress in Maharashtra on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) alleging violation of the model code of conduct by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during his poll campaigning in Nagpur.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe, in a letter to the EC, has sought action against Gadkari, the BJP candidate from the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, and his party for allegedly involving children in poll campaign.

Londhe has attached a video of a BJP campaign rally in Nagpur in support of the Union minister along with his letter.

However, the BJP rejected the Congress claim of poll code violation and maintained the opposition party is raising such issues out of frustration.

''The BJP and its candidate from Nagpur Nitin Gadkari, have been engaging in activities that blatantly disregard the regulations set forth by the Election Commission. Despite clear directives from the EC on the prohibition of involving children in election-related activities, the BJP and Gadkari have been using schoolchildren for their campaign,'' Londhe claimed.

Children from a local school were used by the BJP and Gadkari for the party's campaign rally on April 1 at Vaishali Nagar in Nagpur, the Congress spokesperson alleged.

''The use of children in political campaigning not only violates the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, as amended in 2016, but also goes against the judiciary's directives, including a 2014 order by the Bombay High Court. Such actions by political parties not only undermine the integrity of the electoral process, but also jeopardize the rights, privacy and future of the children involved,'' Londhe noted.

The Congress spokesperson alleged the BJP is attempting to influence voters by exploiting children in their poll campaign.

''This constitutes a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Hence, I urge you to take immediate and decisive action against Nitin Gadkari and the BJP for the serious violation of the code of conduct,'' Londhe said in the letter.

The Maharashtra BJP dismissed the Congress allegations of poll code breach.

State BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said, ''Congress leaders are making such allegations as they are frustrated and have no chance to win the elections. Such claims are made from a defeatist mindset.'' ''The Congress party does not have strong points to counter (BJP) so they are raking up such issues. The Congress has already conceded defeat in the Lok Sabha elections,'' Upadhye said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)