A day after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinay Kumar Saxena visited Church heads in Kerala, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing him of trying to garner votes for the BJP.
He sought action against the LG for luring the church heads to take a stance in favour of the BJP. In his complaint to the ECI on the eve of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Kerala, Satheesan alleged Saxena violated the model code of conduct by visiting various church heads in Kerala to lure them to take a stance in favour of the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections
“As you are aware, the governor is the constitutional head of the state and is restricted from involvement in any political activity. However, the Delhi lieutenant governor visiting various church heads in Kerala just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to garner votes for the BJP is a blot on democracy and its founding values,” said Satheesan in his complaint to ECI.
The senior Congress leader urged the ECI to initiate urgent action on violation of model code of conduct by the LG.
Conceding that the Delhi Lt governor met Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil at Mount St Thomas at Kakkanad in Kochi on Wednesday, Fr Vadakekkara PRO of the Syro Malabar Church said, “The meeting was not political, but a courtesy call during which both of them discussed non-political topics.”
After meeting Raphael Thattil, the L-G proceeded to St George Forane Church in Erattupetta and met George Alencherry, who was there to attend the church festivities. Saxena then made a stopover at the residence of Tangu Brother in Kanjikuzhy, Kottayam, before proceeding to the Believers Eastern Church in Thiruvalla to attend an award ceremony.
Though Saxena sought a meeting with the Latin Catholic Church, sources said the church refused to grant an audience. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church head Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews III did not meet Saxena as he was away in Kunnamkulam in Thrissur.