The Congress on Tuesday wrote to the Election Commission alleging that BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had "threatened" Bodoland People's Front chief Hagrama Mohilary and demanded that he should be disqualified from contesting the assembly polls and a case should be registered against him.
In a memorandum to the poll panel, the party also demanded that Sarma should be banned from campaigning in the Assam election.
"We would like to draw this Commission's urgent attention towards senior BJP leader, Himanta Biswa Sarma's open public threats, who foreseeing the looming defeat of his party, has made blatant, scandalous and intimidating statements on March 29 wherein he has openly threatened his opponent party, INC alliance partner and Bodoland People's Front Chairperson Hagrama Mohilary of sending him to jail by misusing the Central Agency - NIA, which is under the direct administrative control of the BJP-led Central Government," the memorandum said.
The Congress also accused the Assam minister of attempting to influence the voters to not vote for the alliance led by Congress, including Mohilary's party.
"Sarma has sought to cast a malicious and malafide impression on the public at large, that on account of the undue strength of the BJP led Central government manning the Central agencies, Sarma is in an undue position to control/ misuse the NIA and hence capable of sending Mohilary to jail. This is a clear message to the voters in order to influence them to not vote for INC alliance including the BPF by completely unconstitutional means and propaganda," the party alleged.
The letter, signed by Congress leaders including Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ajay Maken, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Wasnik, said that Sarma's remarks were a serious violation of the Model Code of Conduct and demanded action under the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the Indian Penal Code".
Assam went to the first phase of polling on March 27 and the second phase of voting will be held on April 1. The last phase of polling in the state will take place on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
( With inputs from ANI )
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