MP BJP complains to CEC against Digvijaya for 'pressurising 16 MLAs in B'luru to vote in his favour'

Madhya Pradesh BJP on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), claiming that Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Digvijaya Singh has violated model code of conduct (MCC) as he has gone to Bengaluru to pressurise 16 MLAs, who are lodged at Ramada hotel, to vote in his favour.

"Digvijaya Singh, who is a candidate for Rajya Sabha election has gone to Bengaluru along with others, to pressurise 16 MLAs (lodged at Ramada hotel) to vote in his favour, violating Model Code of Conduct," said BJP in a letter to CEC.

The BJP further sought action against Singh and other Congress leaders to conduct Rajya Sabha polls peacefully and in a democratic manner.

"It is, therefore, requested to take appropriate action against Singh (Congress leader) and others so that Rajya Sabha elections are conducted peacefully and in a democratic manner," the letter read.

Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said that Digvijaya Singh not being allowed to meet rebel Congress MLAs in Bengaluru was a sign that the BJP was attempting to hijack his government.Kamal Nath remarks came after Singh, who landed in Bengaluru early on Wednesday, was placed under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here, allegedly for not being allowed by police to meet the 21 Congress rebel MLAs lodged in a hotel."I am a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for March 26. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, the police is not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs," Singh told reporters.Singh who sat on the dharna with a face mask said: "We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to five MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7."The development occurred amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh in the wake of the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party.Scindia's departure was followed by 22 Congress MLAs resigning from the party as well as from the state legislative Assembly.The resignation of these MLAs has left the Kamal Nath government below the majority mark.