BJP moves EC over Akhilesh 'bribery' remarks to voters

LUCKNOW: The BJP today moved the Election Commission over remarks of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asking voters to accept money from other parties but to cast their ballot for the SP.

UP BJP spokesperson Manoj Mishra said state BJP vice- president J P S Rathore, in a complaint letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, has accused Akhilesh of violating the model code of conduct.

Earlier today, BJP lashed out at Yadav for "hurting" the dignity of the Chief Minister's post by making a "frivolous" statement that voters should accept money from other parties but cast their ballot for the SP.

Yesterday in Bhadohi, the UP CM and SP national president asked voters to accept money from other parties, but vote for the 'bicycle' symbol of the ruling Samajwadi Party.

"I (have) heard that voters are being given money. My advice to you is to keep the money with yourself and vote for the bicycle," Akhilesh had said.

Mishra further mentioned another statement of the UP CM made by him in Lucknow, where he had reportedly told mediapersons, "My journalist friends, please cooperate with me during the elections. Later, I will reward you. (Patrakar mitro chunaav mein aap hamara sahyog kariye baad mein hum aapko puraskrit karenge)."

The BJP spokesperson said that the statement given by Akhilesh indicates that he has already accepted defeat and has started talking about "monetary transactions" ('Len-Den' in Hindi).

Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had been let off with a light rap by the Election Commission when he made a similar remark that he had no problem with people accepting money from other parties to attend their rallies but that they should vote for the BJP.

The EC had also directed registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking voters in Goa to accept money from other parties, but vote for AAP which was testing its popularity in the coastal state.