BHOPAL: The Congress Monday alleged that the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh was misusing public money by hiring a private firm to run the latter's election campaign on social media. Congress media cell chairperson Shobha Oza told reporters that a Gujarat-based IT firm called Silver Touch Technology was hired by the BJP for this campaign and the firm was operating out of Narmada Bhawan, a government building here.

She said that space from which this private firm was operating had actually been allotted to Madhya Pradesh Madhyam, a wing of the state government's Public Relations department.

In support of the claim, the Congress leader presented details of the phone bill issued on the address.

"Gujarat-based IT company Silver Touch Technology is not only working to brighten the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in addition to that of MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh, but is also maligning the image of the Congress. MP government has hired this company," Oza told reporters.

However, a senior Madhya Pradesh Madhyam official clarified that the firm had been hired by the state government before the model code of conduct came into place in the poll-bound state.

"After that, the firm's services are being used by the state's chief electoral office for popularising poll-related activities aimed at enhancing voting," he said.

Oza said that the firm had been hired by other BJP-ruled states as well and 30 BJP workers were working with the firm from its Narmada Bhawan office.

"We will submit a memorandum in this regard to the Election Commission on Tuesday. We will demand that the company's office should be sealed immediately and action should be taken against the officials concerned," Oza said.

She claimed that this company also facilitated the BJP's "Samriddh Madhya Pradesh Abhiyan", launched Sunday, to seek peoples' suggestions for the ruling party's vision document.

When contacted, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed ignorance on the issue.