Alleging using religion, Rajasthan CM urges EC to ban PM from campaigning in K'taka

Jaipur: Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan, petitioned the Election Commission on Saturday to forbid Prime Minister Narendra Modi from campaigning in Karnataka, which is due to have elections soon.

At a press conference held here, he claimed that in the southern state, Modi was trying to win votes on the basis of religion. Gehlot also criticised the BJP for what he claimed was a threat made by a candidate for the party in the Karnataka elections to take out Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his family.

''The Election Commission should ban Prime Minister Modi from campaigning,'' the Rajasthan chief minister said at a press conference here while responding to a question.

''Read the law... if someone talks in the name of religion, on religious grounds in an election campaign, a ban should be imposed,'' he added.

The Karnataka Assembly election is scheduled for May 10, and counting of votes will take place on May 13.

Asked if the Bajrang Dal will be banned in Rajasthan, Gehlot said, ''Whatever may be the name of an organisation... the real question is what is the role of that organisation.'' He was reacting to the controversy surrounding the Congress manifesto talking about taking decisive action as per law, including imposing a ban on organisations such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Bajrang Dal.

In its manifesto for the Karnataka polls, the Congress said it was committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the PFI for ''spreading hatred'' among communities on grounds of caste and religion.

The action will include a ''ban'' against such organisations, the party has promised.

Gehlot added that the BJP has failed to polarise Karnataka and that inflation and unemployment are the real issues for the people.

He also hit out at the party for the threat to Kharge's life and said that the fear of defeat is troubling the BJP in Karnataka.

''During the election campaign in Karnataka, I have understood the sentiments of the people and I am sure that the departure of the BJP from Karnataka is certain,'' Gehlot later tweeted.

State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara, who was also present at the press conference, criticised the BJP over the threat to Kharge.

Earlier, sharing an audio clip on Twitter, Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed that the BJP's candidate from the Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, Manikanta Rathod, has hatched an assassination plot against Kharge and his family.

Rathod has rejected the allegation, saying it is a fake audio.

With PTI inputs