BJP vs CONG BJP accuses 'Congress playing communal card'; moves EC ahead of Karnataka Polls

Accusing the Congress of playing the "communal card" in poll-bound Karnataka to woo Muslim voters, the BJP has claimed the state's chief electoral officer was not acting on its complaints. Earlier, Union minister and former BJP president Nitin Gadkari led a BJP delegation to the commission and reiterated that they had provided "evidence" to back their charges against Congress leaders and state government officials to the election watchdog. Gadkari alleged Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge in their campaign in a Muslim locality in the state sought the community's votes for their party in the name of Islam. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress leaders told Muslims that their votes for the party will be in the service of Islam, which is in "danger", as he asserted that such rank communalism is a crime under the The Representation of People Act. Prasad said the Congress is desperate as it is set to lose the polls and that is why its government in the state and its leaders are resorting to various tactics to weaken the BJP's campaign. Under attack for allegedly inciting voters in poll-bound Karnataka on communal lines, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said that he will resign as the Member of Parliament if he is proven guilty. ''I didn't hold any public meeting especially for Muslims, it was just a public meeting. I challenge, if anyone meeting the Election Commission officials has video or audio of mine saying 'vote in name of Islam', then I'll resign as Parliament member and the Leader of Opposition, '' the veteran Congress leader said while defending himself. The BJP however remains unconvinced. Condemning "reprehensible campaigning" by the Congress party in reference to seeking votes directly from Muslims, the BJP delegation urged the poll panel to act decisively and firmly against such attempts of the Congress. Meanwhile, delegation of Congress leaders today met the Election Commission officials and demanded immediate action against the BJP, alleging that the saffron party had issued advertisements in clear violation of the model code of conduct and criminal law. The delegation comprising senior party leaders Abhishek Singhvi, Rajiv Shukla and Pramod Tiwari apprised the officials about the advertisements issued by the BJP. They alleged the advertisements aimed to "vitiate and communalise" the atmosphere in Karnataka a week before the state assembly elections.