MP Cong to move EC against public money 'misuse' by state govt

The Madhya Pradesh Congress today said it would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against the state government for "promoting" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the cost of the public exchequer.

State unit Congress president Kamal Nath said the state BJP government has undertaken such campaigns for political gain ahead of the assembly polls, slated to be held later this year.

"The state government has set a wrong precedent by deciding to display images of Modi and Chouhan on two tiles in houses to be built in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)," he said in a statement.

Nath claimed the government had also started publishing photos of the chief minister in the government calenders.

"...Now they (the government) have decided to add Chouhan's pictures in the advertisements for the state pilgrimage scheme as well as other welfare schemes," the Chhindwara MP said.

He said the erstwhile Congress government was never indulged in such "publicity gimmicks" by using people's fund.

"Anyway, the photos of Chouhan will have to be removed once the model code of conduct kicks in ahead of the polls.

"However, the money spent already on putting the pictures would be wasted which will result into a huge loss to the public exchequer," Nath said, adding that the Congress would approach the EC against this "misue" of public money.

The state government had issued an order earlier this year making it mandatory to display images of Modi and Chouhan on two tiles in houses to be built in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

The government had also made photos of Chouhan mandatory along with that of the prime minister in all state government offices and buildings.