Cong lodges complaint with EC against BJP’s Wadiyar over alleged involvement in bribery

PTI, Apr 21, 2024, 2:50 PM IST

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP’s Mysore – Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency candidate Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for his alleged involvement in bribery in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In a letter to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer on Saturday, the KPCC alleged that Wadiyar has engaged in actions that egregiously contravene the MCC, posing a severe threat to the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.

”Wadiyar has orchestrated a meeting with several influential personalities on social media platforms, with the explicit purpose of soliciting their support and influence for his electoral campaign. During this meeting, which was clandestinely conducted, Wadiyar made egregious attempts to sway these influencers by offering them materialistic inducements, including personalised notebooks, pens, chocolates, sarees, and sweets,” it alleged.

The letter stated that the most alarming aspect of this meeting was the ”brazen distribution” of substantial amounts of money to these influencers in exchange for their unequivocal support and promotion of his candidacy.

”This reprehensible act of distributing money to sway influencers not only violates the fundamental principles of free and fair elections but also constitutes a grave offense under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and that of the Indian Penal Code,” the letter alleged.

KPCC has urged the poll body to initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into this matter and take stringent action against those found guilty of violating the MCC and relevant electoral laws to ensure that the electoral process remains free, fair, and untainted by corrupt practices.