Gujarat polls: BJP slams Congress for doubting EC

The wars of words between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over delay in Gujarat polls date escalated on Saturday after the BJP slammed the Congress for doubting the discretion of the Election Commission.

The Congress party has been accusing the BJP of putting pressure on the Election Commission to delay the polls in Gujarat.

Talking to ANI, Union Minister Jitendra Singh shrugged off Congress' claim and said the BJP accords absolute independence to constitutional bodies.

"What Congress and other opposition leaders are saying actually amounts to questioning the prudence, wisdom, discretion and above all the independence of constitutional body like the Election Commission," Singh said.

He further said that if the Congress believes that Election Commission is under some sort of pressure then they are speaking from their own experience.

The minister said that the Congress' statement shows that they are being jittery at the prospects of BJP's huge victory in the ensuing Gujarat assembly polls.

The Congress continued its tirade against the BJP on Friday over delay in announcement of Gujarat poll dates and said that it hints at Centre's "direct interference" in the functioning of the Election Commission.

The Election Commission was scheduled to announce the dates for Himachal and Gujarat Assembly elections on Thursday, but it only announced the dates for Himachal.

Chief Election Commissioner A K Jyoti, had however, said Gujarat polls will be held before December 18, the day when the results of the Himachal Pradesh polls are to be announced.