New Delhi, Nov 24: Congress today said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi has clarified to the Election Commission that state aircraft were not used for electioneering but for other purposes. "Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has clarified to the EC that the state aircraft were not used by him for electioneering purposes but for other purposes,” party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters here when asked if Jogi has clarified his position on the matter raised by the Commission.
The Central Election Commission has issued notices to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Jogi and Madhya Pradesh Speaker Sriniwas Tiwari for using state plane during elections which it said tantamount to violation of election code of conduct.
AICC later admitted to the Election Commission that Sonia Gandhi used a Chhattisgarh government helicopter but maintained it was for a non-election purpose and that it did not amount to violation of the model code of conduct in force for assembly elections in five states.
The party wrote to the poll panel that she used the chopper from Chennai to Sriperumbudur on October 10 to attend a "solemn function in which President A P J Abdul Kalam dedicated a memorial to the nation in honour of Rajiv Gandhi”.
Sharma said Congress has always respected election Commission's directives and would continue to do so in future too. Bureau Report