Published 17:50 IST, March 18th 2020
BJP writes to CEC alleging violation of MCC over Digvijaya Singh's Bengaluru visit
BJP has written to the Chief Election Commissioner alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Digvijaya Singh in view of the upcoming RS elections.
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Amidst the ongoing political crisis in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has written to the Chief Election Commissioner alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Congress' Digvijaya Singh in view of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. In the letter, BJP brought Digvijaya Singh's recent visit to Bengaluru to light and alleged that the Congress leader had visited the city to 'influence and pressurise' the 16 MLAs from the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, who are currently camping there, to vote in his favour. The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections are set to be held on March 26.
Requesting appropriate action against Digvijaya Singh and the nine cabinet ministers who traveled with him, the BJP has also stated that the Congress leader tried to disrupt peace in Bengaluru by staging a dharna and creating a law and order situation. Earlier in the day, the senior Congress leader was detained in Bengaluru after he staged a dharna outside the hotel where 21 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs are said to be lodged.
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Digvijaya Singh detained
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh reached Bengaluru on Wednesday to meet the rebel MLAs lodged in the city's Ramada Hotel and was greeted by Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar. The senior Congress leader, in a desperate attempt to connect with the rebel MLAs, allegedly reasoned that he wished to meet the MLAs and seek support from them ahead of Rajya Sabha elections for which he is a candidate but was stopped by police due to security reasons in view of the rebel MLAs' seeking security concerning an alleged threat to their lives. The Congress leader then sat on a dharna outside the hotel where 21 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs are said to be lodged. Later Singh was detained by the police in Bengaluru.
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'Will save the government'
Speaking to media on his release, Digvijaya Singh said, "I don't know where am I being taken. I should have been allowed to meet my MLAs. I am a law-abiding citizen. Sarkar bhi bachaenge aur hamare MLAs ko bhi wapas laenge. (Will save the government and also take back our MLAs)."
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Reacting to the situation, Congress' DK Shivakumar said, "Digvijaya Singh has come to meet our party MLAs. One of the MLAs had contacted him through telephone and requested him to free them. Police do not have the right to block him, he wants to request higher authorities as these people are acting on instructions of CM."
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17:50 IST, March 18th 2020