Congress moves SC against EC's order revoking Kamal Nath's star campaigner status

UPDATE at 4:00 PM

Cong leader Kamal Nath moves SC against EC taking away his 'star campaigner' status in MP bypolls, says lawyer Vivek Tankha

The Congress party will move Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India’s order revoking "star campaigner" status of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath. Earlier on Friday, the EC revoked Nath's 'star campaigner' status after repeated violations of the Model Code of Conduct. This essentially means that the expenditure — including the cost of his travel, food, lodging - of Kamal Nath's campaign, will be added to candidate's poll expenses, whereas when a leader is given the status of star campaigner, the expenses go to the party account. 

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On Monday, the EC ruled that Kamal Nath had violated its advisory by describing BJP's Imarti Devi as "item". Dated April 29, 2019, the advisory read, "political parties and candidates to refrain from any deeds/actions/utterances that may be construed as being repugnant to the honour and dignity of women". 

READ | Ex MP CM Kamal Nath Reacts To EC Revoking Star-campaigner Status: ‘Truth Can Be Troubled

Apart from this case, Kamal Nath also faces FIRs in Gwalior, Datia for violating COVID-19 SOPs in a rally. The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Gwalior bench ordered an FIR against Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Nath for violation, restraining district magistrates from permitting physical campaigning unless it was proved that conducting virtual election campaign was not possible and the Election Commission approved it in writing. The BJP has moved the SC, challenging this order.

Kamal Nath calls Imarti Devi 'item'

Last Sunday, Nath referred to Scindia loyalist and minister Imarti Devi as an 'item', while addressing a rally in Dabra. Backing the Congress candidate - Suresh Raje, he contrasted Raje's 'simple' nature to Imarti Devi's 'flipping' to BJP. He jokingly told the people, 'you should have warned me of her nature'. Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajay Singh stirred another controversy, calling Imarti Devi as 'Jalebi Devi' - referring to the famous sweetmeat.

READ | Use of 'item' violates advisory:EC pulls up Kamal Nath, advises him not to use such a word

Taking action against Madhya Pradesh ex-CM Kamal Nath, BJP has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Nath for his 'item' remark against the state's Minister of Women and Child Development Imarti Devi. CM Shivraj Chouhan held a 2-hour silent protest at Bhopal on Monday morning while several BJP workers burnt effigies of Kamal Nath. While ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has rebuked Nath for his jibe, the ex-MP CM has contended that the context of his 'item' jibe was completely misunderstood.  Alleging that the complaint was an "election driven narrative" of BJP, he stated that there was no ill will and malice in his speech.

READ | EC revokes ex-CM Kamal Nath's 'star campaigner' status over 'item' jibe & other violations