SAD using cops in Delhi campaign: Congress to EC

New Delhi: Congress Tuesday lodged complaints with the EC against BJP and AAP for false propaganda and also charged SAD with using Punjab Police personnel for electioneering in Delhi.

A Congress delegation led by party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed met Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi and demanded action against BJP`s chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan for "falsely" claiming to have made Delhi polio-free during his stint as health minister of the state. Congress also demanded withdrawal of advertisements and hoardings put up by BJP highlighting the high rates of onion, potatoes and tomatoes and said the Opposition party was trying to influence the Delhi voters through "false propaganda". "They should either update the daily rates of the essential commodities or remove the boards as they are trying to influence the voters through false propaganda. We have asked the Election Commission to look into it and direct the BJP to remove boards," Ahmed told reporters. The party also demanded stern action against Aam Aadmi Party for "defaming" it by alleging it was behind the sting operation conducted on AAP. Congress leaders also sought a thorough probe into the allegations of Arvind Kejriwal having three voter I-cards. "AAP is trying to defame the Congress ahead of elections. Their leader Arvind Kejriwal has three voter ID cards - one in Uttar Pradesh and two in Delhi. This is a very serious matter. EC should conduct an inquiry into this and take strict action," Ahmed said. The ruling party further charged the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab with using policemen in plain-clothes to do election work and to influence voters in Delhi. "Punjab Police personnel are in Delhi in plain clothes and are doing election work. They are trying to intimidate the Delhi voters. They are using vehicles of other states and not with Punjab numbers. The EC should direct the local police to arrest them and derecognise the parties involved, as they are trying to influence the Delhi voters," Ahmed said. The Congress delegation that also comprised Delhi unit chief J P Agarwal, AICC secretary Kuljit Nagra and other local leaders like Mahabal Mishra, Subhash Chopra and Manish Chatrath, demanded immediate action against BJP, AAP and SAD to help provide a fair and level-playing field in polls.