Congress moves EC for cancellation of FIR against Mistry

The Congress Thursday moved the Election Commission demanding cancellation of FIR against its candidate from Vadodra, Madhusudan Mistry, and action against police and district officials as the state machinery was "controlled" by Chief Minister and BJP candidate Narendra Modi.

In a letter to the commission, Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said Vadodra seat required "extraordinary attention" as Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate was a candidate there.

"The fact is that entire state machinery including police, bureaucracy and subordinate staff are by and large controlled and dictated by Modi. Some of the officials belong to RSS/VHP/Bajrang Dal etc and are capable of manipulating the entire election in Vadodra and elsewhere in Gujarat," he alleged.

Maken said though the state machinery is deemed to be on deputation with the poll panel, "the chief minister has complete control over it".

"If this is allowed to continue, a fair poll cannot be conducted. It is necessary that all polling booths including EVMs, voter slip and other all other activities for election should be thoroughly monitored and CCTV installed at all the polling booths," he said.

Accusing the district election officer and the Vadodra police commissioner of directing the registration of a FIR "to harass and humiliate" Mistry, Maken said the FIR was over a handbill published by Vadodra city Congress committee for which a notice could have been issued to seek details.

Terming the FIR as false and baseless, he said it had been registered at the behest of Modi.

"It is, therefore, requested that immediate action should be taken against DEO, commissioner of police, Vadodra and other officials and the FIR should be canelled," Maken said.

He said senior officials of poll panel should be posted at Vadodra and other constituencies of Gujarat to prevent any manipulation by officials or BJP candidates and workers.