A day after the state government included Forest Minister and BJP candidate from Vijaypur, Ramnivas Rawat, in a key task force, the Congress on Wednesday moved the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), describing the appointment as electoral impropriety.

The Congress protest comes close on the heels of the state government’s announcement of a Task Force Committee—monitoring the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act—on Tuesday.

In its missive to the CEO, the main opposition party claims that the inclusion of the Forest Minister in the body constitutes a breach of the model code of conduct as it comes in the midst of campaigning for the November 13 bypolls in Vijaypur, where Rawat is the BJP candidate.

The Congress has sought an immediate revocation of his appointment. In its letter to the CEO, the Congress party says that the ruling party is trying to influence voters through the appointment of Rawat as Vice-Chairman of the Task Force Committee while describing the decision as both inappropriate and unethical.

"This appointment could unduly increase his influence among the tribal population, thereby impacting the assembly by-election in Vijaypur," reads the letter, copies of which were released to the media.The Congress party said that since this law has been in force for the past year and a half, Rawat's appointment during the Model Code of Conduct seems to serve the purpose of elevating his political stature among tribals to benefit the BJP candidate, which is against regulations.

The Congress concludes the letter with a request for immediate action to remove Rawat for the conduct of free and fair elections in Vijaypur.