New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday moved the Election Commission over Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal's comments on possibility of imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh after which the poll body has sought a video of his remarks.
The BJP complained against Jaiswal's remarks to Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha, who has forwarded the complaint to the Election Commission in Delhi.
Sinha said, "A complaint from the BJP had been received here and the same has been forwarded to Election Commission in Delhi for further necessary action."
EC's deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi, who takes care of elections in Uttar Pradesh, said, "The CEO in UP has received a complaint from the BJP against Jaiswal and the CEO has been asked to send the same to the EC."
Sources say that the EC has also sought a video of Jaiswal's speech.
Reacting sharply to Jaiswal's remarks, BJP accused the Congress of treating the state like its fiefdom and dubbed the minister's comments as "undemocratic and a threat to the voters"
Party leader LK Advani said imposition of President's rule in UP if Congress does not get a majority would be blatant misuse of the provision.
"A union minister has publicly announced that if our government is not formed President's Rule will be imposed... Article 356 will be used. Nobody can even think of such blatant misuse. The makers of our Constitution had never imagined it would be used in the manner the minister has stated," Advani told reporters.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari also hit out at Jaiswal. "He is issuing a threat to the voters that if you do not vote for the Congress we will bring President's Rule. This (UP) is not Jaiswal's fiefdom. This is a democratic country. By issuing such a threat, in a way Jaiswal has violated the model code of conduct and threatened people," Gadkari said.
The BJP chief said the disrespect shown by ministers like Salman Khurshid, Beni Prasad Verma and now Jaiswal to the Election Commission is such that if the poll panel does not take strong and effective action, nobody will listen to it in future.
BJP leader Uma Bharti said Jaiswal's comments were "undemocratic and a threat to the voters".
"It is indicative of feudal mindset. Congress does not believe in democracy that is why they are saying this," she alleged in Charkhari, from where she is contesting.
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