Congress Delegation Meets EC, Urges Poll Body To Ensure No New Schemes Implemented In Andhra

Congress complained regarding how the scheme advertisements in Andhra Pradesh still bore the photographs of the Chief Minister in violation of the model code of conduct.

Congress leaders Salman Khurshid, Pawan Khera and others after a meeting with ECI ahead of Lok Sabha polls in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

A Congress delegation on Tuesday met the Election Commission and urged the poll body to order the removal of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's photo from the schemes in the state. 

Salman Khurshid, who was part of the Congress delegation, said that the EC has given the orders and added that the new schemes cannot be implemented.

The party complained regarding how the scheme advertisements in Andhra Pradesh still bore the photographs of the Chief Minister in violation of the model code of conduct.

#WATCH | Delhi: Congress leader Salman Khurshid says, "We all had gone to the EC and put forth four points and it was about Andhra Pradesh...We have requested the EC that the previous schemes continue but while campaigning those schemes have photos of the CM of that state and… pic.twitter.com/6WhSfPQQBv

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2024

"We all had gone to the EC and put forth four points and it was about Andhra Pradesh...We have requested the EC that the previous schemes continue but while campaigning those schemes have photos of the CM of that state and that should be removed. They said that orders had been given...New schemes cannot be implemented and EC also said that new schemes cannot be implemented," Salman Khurshid told reporters following the meeting with poll body on Tuesday.

The party's complaint was regarding the actions of the Chief Electoral Officer Andhra Pradesh in stopping pension and other beneficiary schemes to the underprivileged, a statement of the party said. The Congress urged the CEO for the restoration of these payments as a special case.

Congress also sought clarification and distinction regarding expenditure allocation and division between candidate and party for expenses on campaign materials. 

The grand-old party also brought EC's attention to BJP’s alleged malicious attempts to link the Congress' campaign to George Soros.

"This complaint covers other examples of false propaganda as well targeting the INC. Not only are these materials patently false but also mala fide and knowingly defamatory. The ECI is being requested  to take immediate action against the authors of this low level campaign as well as issue instructions for its recall," a party statement said.