Karnataka Congress approaches EC, seeks action against Amit Shah, other BJP leaders for poll code violation

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Amit Shah and other BJP leaders for violating the model code of conduct.

According to CNN News18, the Congress alleged that the BJP president handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the family of of H Raju, an RSS worker who was murdered in 2016. The Congress has alleged that this is a "gross" violation of the model code of conduct. Amit Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state met the family of Raju in Kyatamaranahalli on Friday morning. Raju was killed on the Udayagiri Main Road on 13 March, 2016, in broad daylight, Deccan Herald reported.

File image of BJP chief Amit Shah. PTI

The police later arrested one accused, but the remaining accused are still absconding, the report added. Speaking to the media, the BJP president has said that the modus operandi of the killing of Raju was similar to that of the killing of 22 of 24 party workers. Shah has alleged that the state police has not taken any action despite this, The Times of India reported. The report further quotes the BJP president as saying, "If Siddaramaiah and the Congress party believe that by use of violence they can stop the flow of our ideology, then they are living in a world of dreams."

In the complaint, the Congress has claimed that Shah handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the victim's family. BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyarappa, Union minister Ananth Kumar and MP Pratap Sinha too accompanied Shah.

Congress alleged that "Shah visited the state and Mysore many times but never made an effort to visit the family earlier. Thus it is safe to presume in the light of the coming elections, that the money was paid with the intent to woo the voters".