Hindustan Times (Ranchi)

JMM urges poll panel to ban BJP’s star campaigner­s

- Raj Kumar letters@hindustant­imes.com

The chief election commission­er should impose a ban on all star campaigner­s of the BJP. They are spreading confusion and hate simultaneo­usly. Not thoughts but fire comes out from their words. SUPRIYO BHATTACHAR­YA JMM general secretary

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Friday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ban the movement of star campaigner­s of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, saying “they spread hatred and confusion”.

“The chief election commission­er should impose a ban on all-star campaigner­s of the BJP. They are spreading confusion and hate simultaneo­usly. Not thoughts but fire comes out from their words,” the party general secretary and spokespers­on Supriyo Bhattachar­ya said.

Bhattachar­ya also expressed concern over the ECI’s new idea of sending notices to the party instead of a particular person violating the model code of conduct during elections.

“Earlier, the ECI had been sending notices to particular leaders violating the model code of conduct, but apparently when the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi surfaced, the constituti­onal body got terrified and preferred sending notices to the party rather than the individual,” Bhattachar­ya said.

He also alleged that the ECI was partial in taking action.

“Notices were sent to Congress spokespers­on Supriya Shrinate and BJP MP from West Bengal Dilip Ghosh, but when it came time to give the same to Narendra Modi, it expressed its weakness. The commission, which takes suo motu cognizance of Shiv Sena’s slogans, maintains silence over the hate speech of Bihar’s BJP leader Giriraj Singh,” he said.

Reacting to remarks, the Opposition BJP spokespers­on Pratul Shahdeo said, “JMM knows that defeat looms over the horizon. Fears are written over the faces of JMM leaders, and now this scare is coming out of their mouths. By asking for a ban on the star campaigner­s, JMM is making one last effort to save some ground, but it is too little, too late. We are romping home 15-0 in Jharkhand, which includes Gandey.”

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