The Trinamool Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP candidate from Varanasi, of violating the model code of conduct by utilising central government funds for campaigning, news agency PTI reported. In a letter directed to the chief election commissioner on Monday, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien alleged that a message from the PM highlighting his government's programmes reached the electorate on March 16, after the implementation of the model code of conduct.
The TMC leader claimed that PM Modi allegedly penned the message in the form of a letter to the voters on March 15.
"By using the office of the prime minister, the BJP has issued the aforesaid letter at the cost of the public exchequer under the guise of a message seemingly sent by the Government of India. Such mass circulation is nothing but an appeal to the voters in favour of the BJP and Mr Modi and thereby flouting the mandate of the Election Commission of India," O'Brien said in the complaint.
O'Brien urged the poll body to ensure that the BJP and its candidate PM Modi refrain from future campaigns financed by the public exchequer and withdraw the letter. He also suggested that the cost incurred in sending the prime minister's letter to the electorate be accounted for in the BJP's and Modi's election expenditure records.
Demanding Supreme Court to monitor the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, O'Brien on Tuesday stated: "BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections."