Digvijaya Singh backs Kamal Nath: EC violated its guidelines; campaigners picked by party

Reacting to the Election Commission (EC)'s decision to revoke ex-MP CM Kamal Nath's 'star campaigner' status, senior Congress MP Digvijaya Singh on Saturday, hit out at the apex poll body. Singh stated that star-campaigners were designated by political parties and not decided by the Central Election Commission. Claiming that the 'EC had violated its guidelines', Digvijaya Singh backed Nath. The State assembly's 28 seats will go to by-polls on November 3 and counting on November 10. 

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Digvijaya: EC violated guidelines

"The list of star campaigners is the right of political parties, not the Central Election Commission. They have violated their guidelines," said Digvijaya Singh. The Congress has already moved the Supreme Court challenging EC's decision to revoke Nath's 'star-campaigner' status.

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

EC revokes Kamal Nath's 'star campaigner'

Earlier on Friday,  the Election Commission of India (EC) revoked Nath's  'star campaigner' status after  repeated violation of Model Code of Conduct. The EC stated that if any campaign is done by Kamal Nath from now onwards, the entire expenditure will be borne by the candidate in whose constituency campaign is being undertaken. 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.

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". Moreover, it advised him to not use any such word or statement while making public utterances during the period of the Model Code of Conduct.

Apart from this case, Kamal Nath also faces FIRs in Gwalior, Datia fro 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.

Ex MP CM Kamal Nath reacts to EC revoking star-campaigner status: ‘Truth can be troubled’

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'. 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. 

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