LS polls: Congress goes to ECI against 'misleading' ads by BJP, seeks action

The Congress on Thursday complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the BJP's "misleading" advertisements and posters promoting various government schemes and sought their removal.

The party also sought action against the alleged violation of the model code of conduct by senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress further alleged that the prime minister is "standing with demonic powers".

A delegation of Congress leaders, including Mukul Wasnik, Salman Khurshid, Supriya Shrinate and Gurdeep Sappal, met ECI representatives and raised nine issues before the poll panel.

"...This election is between demonic powers and the other powers. We are completely against the demonic powers with whom the prime minister is standing," Shrinate told reporters in New Delhi after the meeting.

Khurshid said the party has complained to the ECI about the manner in which campaigning is being done by the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "People are pained at the manner in which the BJP is issuing advertisements and posters. We have objected to the manner in which the government schemes are being promoted with the prime minister's photograph, such a campaign during polls cannot take place. The EC has already taken note of such things and has assured us to take up our complaints," Khurshid said.

He hoped the ECI would come forward and use its powers to act against the complaints to ensure a level playing field during the polls.

Shrinate said, "We have raised nine such issues before the EC and we hope that it will take action on such fake news and misleading advertisements to ensure a level playing field."

Shrinate also alleged that the BJP is running a campaign on the 2G issue and trying to create an illusion. "The courts have said there is no culpability on the 2G issue, and running such a video after 10 years is objectionable. We have raised our complaint against the content and have urged the Election Commission to remove such a campaign.

"Second, the campaign that Modi ji has got the (Russia-Ukraine) war stopped... We have urged the EC to stop such kind of videos to misguide people. We have also raised the issue of a misleading video using the Army, which is banned as the model code is in force," she said.

Shrinate claimed that a letter seeking support for a 'Viksit Bharat' written by the prime minister is being circulated on social media and WhatsApp by the BJP and they had complained against it.

The ECI has said some issues have already been dealt with, she said. She also alleged that the BJP is using religious issues in its campaign.