Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati questioned the double standards of the Election Commission on Saturday after the poll panel ordered search of her vehicles and helicopter during an election rally at Karnataka.
Minutes after the Dalit leader landed at Gulbarga for an election rally, the flying squad of the EC approached her and began to search the helicopter along with the vehicles arranged for her travel.
According to sources in the Commission, Rs 1 lakh was found from her purse. On being quizzed about the money, Mayawati explained that it belonged to her supporters who accompanied her in the helicopter and that each person is “entitled” to carry Rs 50,000.
The cash was not seized. later, when the BSP chief reached Jevargi village to address the gathering, she was again searched while climbing the stage.
Infuriated at being treated in this manner, Mayawati took a dig at the Commission for its partisan attitude. Have you checked Sonia Gandhi (Congress president) and Sushma Swaraj (BJP leader and leader of Opposition in lok Sabha) when they came for campaigningIJ You are searching me because I am a Dalit womanIJ”
Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj’s helicopter was also checked by EC officials in Hubli when she landed there for campaigning. However, Sushma welcomed the EC move and tweeted, “Just landed in Hubli. Election Commission officials have checked my helicopter and the baggage. I welcome this.”
Gulbarga Deputy Commissioner KJ Jagadish said that he would send a report to the Election Commission based on the search conducted by the flying squad.
After her election rally at Gulbarga, Mayawati hoped that her party would open an account in the State. In the past two Assembly polls, BSP has remained in the election fray focusing on the SC/ST/backward classes and minority population in districts of Gulbarga and Bidar, which has major pockets of population belonging to these communities.