‘Legitimate criticism of candidate not communal politics’: Himanta on EC’s show-cause notice

A day after Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a show-cause notice to Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam Chief Minister on Friday said legitimate criticism of a candidate does not amount to communal politics as the Congress has withheld the material information from the poll body that Mohammed Akbar is their candidate from Kawardha Constituency.

Taking to Twitter, Sarma said, “Congress has withheld the material information from the Hon’ble Election Commission that Mohammed Akbar is their candidate from Kawardha Constituency.”

“Therefore legitimate criticism of a candidate does not amount to communal politics. Congress will have to face the legal consequence of not revealing this crucial fact in their representation. I have full faith in the collection wisdom of the Hon’ble Election Commission,” he added. 

Congress has withheld the material information from the Hon’ble Election Commission that Mohammed Akbar is their candidate from Kawardha Constituency.

Therefore legitimate criticism of a candidate does not amount to communal politics. 

Cong will have to face the legal… https://t.co/B7knnSjvCG

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 27, 2023

EC issues show-cause notice to Assam CM

The Election Commission on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly making communally charged remarks during an election campaign in poll-bound Chhattisgarh. The commission has asked Sarma to respond to the notice by 5 pm on October 30.

EC’s action on Assam CM came in response to the Congress complaint stating that he made communally charged statements and made unverified allegations and distortions against its Kawardha candidate Mohammed Akbar.

“If one Akbar comes to one place, don't forget that they call a hundred Akbars. Therefore, bid farewell to Akbar as soon as possible, otherwise this land of Mother Kaushalya will be defiled," Sarma said, as per the EC notice.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases - on November 7 and 17.