Karnataka 'sovereignty' remark: BJP demands ECI to revoke registration of Congress

New Delhi, May 8

Ahead of May 10 Karnataka elections, the BJP on Monday demanded that the Congress party’s registration with the Election Commission of India must be revoked immediately in view of former party chief Sonia Gandhi’s tweet on alleged threat to sovereignty of the state.

A delegation of senior BJP leaders led by Union minister Bhupender Yadav and comprising minister Jitendra Singh and BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh called on the chief election commissioner and presented him a memorandum demanding immediate action against the Congress and Sonia Gandhi.

The memorandum demanded that since Sonia’s remarks “amounted to serious violation of model code of conduct, stringent action must be taken in the matter”.

Referring to the tweet by the Congress party in respect of Sonia Gandhi’s comments in which she called the Karnataka voters to protect the sovereignty of the state, the memorandum said the remarks fitted into a “pattern of mischievous and intentional indiscretions of Congress for which a serious note must be taken by the ECI and punitive action taken”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in his last election rally in Mysuru’s Nanjangudu attacked the Congress for the sovereignty remarks by Sonia Gandhi.

“The royal family of Congress yesterday said in Karnataka that they want to safeguard the sovereignty of Karnataka. Do you understand what this means? For years they sat in the Indian Parliament, took the oath of the Indian Constitution and this is what they say? When a nation attains independence it is called a sovereign nation. What Congress is saying implies that the Congress considers Karnataka has seceded from India. Are you in agreement with this? Will you or will you not punish Congress? This means the Congress is openly advocating secession of Karnataka from India. I had never reckoned that tukde tukde disease would inflict Congress to such an extent,” the PM said urging voters to punish the Congress.

The row followed a tweet from the Congress Party’s official handle which said, “CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi ji sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas: The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty or integrity.”