New Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that the Congress has played with the Constitution by releasing the manifesto for the assembly elections in Jharkhand during the silent period between the end of the campaign and the beginning of the voting and the Election Commission. Action should be taken in this matter.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, also accused the Congress of ‘breaking the Constitution’ from time to time. He said, “No party can campaign during the silent period of 48 hours before voting. There cannot be any rally. But it has to be said with great sadness that despite knowing this, Congress has released its manifesto on 12th November before the voting.”
He said, “This is sad and is playing with the Constitution.” Voting is being held on Wednesday on 43 seats in the first phase of voting for the 81-member assembly elections in Jharkhand. Patra alleged that Congress has done this many times and its ‘veteran leaders’ never take the Election Commission seriously.
He said, “The way Rahul Gandhi’s party has flouted the rules of the Election Commission yesterday, I feel that the Commission should take cognizance of it and action should be taken on it.” Congress released its manifesto for Jharkhand Assembly elections on Tuesday, promising 250 units of free electricity, conducting caste-based enumeration and filling all vacant government posts within a year.
Congress manifesto committee chairman Bandhu Tirkey released the manifesto. It focuses on seven promises, including the implementation of the Khatian-based settlement policy of 1932 and the Sarna religious code of the tribals. This manifesto was released a day before the first phase of voting for 43 seats out of total 81 seats in the state.