The Opposition Congress party on Tuesday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using police, and goons as it fears defeat in the election.
Party spokesman Mahendra Chawda said the BJP, its candidates and workers have been openly violating election code of conduct and police were helping them. Several cartoons of liquors were found in different places of Raipur. Instead of taking action against the persons involved, police were only maintaining formalities. The administration has yet to find out the liquor belonged to which BJP candidate, he alleged.
BJP candidate Gauri Shankar Agarwal’s son Nitin Agarwal openly snatched away a bag packed with notes in the presence of the in charge of Palari police station in Kasdol assembly constituency area.No step has been taken on this incident yet, he alleged. Similarly blankets, durries and cricket kits were distributed by BJP candidates in different places. There have been allegation of BJP activists misbehaving with election officials, but police were not acting on such complaints, he alleged.
The Congress demands the election commission to take immediate cognizance of such incidents and take action against those involved in such crimes. Pointing out the incident of alleged criminal activities by BJP activists in Bastar area, he said Congress nominee Samu Kashyap was obstructed and beaten up by the BJP goons. Similarly senior Congress leader Rekhchand Jain was also beaten up. Both Kashyap and Jain were undergoing treatment in the hospital, he added.
Chawda also held Chief Minister Raman Singh responsible for such incidents.