Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has again hit out at the Election Commission (EC) for withdrawing star campaigner status from former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, stating that it is the right of political parties to prepare a list of star campaigners and the poll body has violated its own guidelines.
"To prepare the list of star campaigners is the right of political parties, not of the Election Commission. EC has violated its guidelines," Singh told media reporters here on Saturday.
"We have already filed a petition in the Supreme Court yesterday against this decision of the EC," he added.
EC on Friday revoked the star campaigner status of Kamal Nath, citing repeated violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Responding to EC's order, Singh yesterday said: "It is a strange order. After an advisory was given to him, he gave no further statements. The statement, which is being mentioned, is from October 13. I think this order is unfair. We are contemplating as to what legal suggestion has to be taken."
"There is pressure being applied and it is not right," he had added.
Recently, Nath referred to BJP leader Imarti Devi as an "item" during a by-election rally, sparking a controversy.
Currently, campaigning for the by-election to the state Assembly is underway in Madhya Pradesh.
Voting on 28 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh bypolls will take place on November 3 and the results will be declared on November 10.
By-elections are due on 28 seats following the resignation of 25 MLAs and the death of three legislators earlier.
In March this year, 22 Congress MLAs resigned from the state Assembly paving the way for BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take over as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for the fourth time.
( With inputs from ANI )
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