Congress has complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar for his comparison to the upcoming MLC elections with an India-Pakistan cricket match, referring to Congress as Team Pakistan and the BJP as Team India.

The Union minister said voting for Congress in the MLC elections would be akin to voting for Pakistan.

Advertisement

Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar shot off a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar demanding stern action against Bandi Sanjay Kumar for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

While campaigning in Karimnagar for the Graduate MLC election from Nizamabad-Medak-Karimnagar-Adilabad constituency, Bandi Sanjay said, “Just as the Indian team fulfilled the aspirations of the fans in the recent Champions Trophy match, the BJP will fulfill the aspirations of teachers and graduates voting in the MLC elections.”

He went on to add, “We are the Indian team. They (Congress) are the Pakistan team. Voters must decide now, vote for us for India’s victory or vote for them for Pakistan’s victory.” He said on 27 February (the polling day) the electorate must give the BJP a chance and defeat the Congress while lashing out at Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for campaigning for the MLC elections.

Following Bandi Sanjay’s statement, Congress registered its protest with the ECI over what it called the blatant violation of the model code of conduct. In his letter, Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar said Bandi Sanjay’s statement attracts the provisions of the MCC. “He forgot that he is a Central minister and uttered such immature and insane statements in the poll campaign,” wrote the Congress MP, demanding strict action from the ECI.

The BJP leaders are quite optimistic of winning all three seats with the BRS deciding to stay away from these elections. Addressing three election rallies to drum up support for the Congress, Chief minister Reddy accused the BJP and the BRS of entering into a “clandestine understanding” for the MLC elections for three seats on 27 February.

He also claimed that the BJP was blocking the arrest of K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao in corruption cases and Centre’s approval of development projects.