Following the controversy surrounding Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell head Amit Malviya's tweet on the Karnataka Assembly Polls date, senior Congress Party leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP was dictating polling dates to the Election Commission.
Speaking to ANI, Kharge urged the election-governing body to avoid any such information leak from taking place ahead of the polls.
"Amit Malviya tweeted Karnataka elections dates at 11 am, even before the schedule was announced by the Election Commission; it means the BJP is dictating polling dates to them. I have never seen such a situation before, where a political party has access to so much information. However, I expect the EC to work according to the Constitution and law, and not let information leak," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Veerappa Moily accused the BJP of disregarding a constitutional office.
"What the BJP has done gives an impression that they don't regard a constitutional office. Congress is ready to face election, and we will emerge victorious against the BJP. Weaker section of society has always been with the Congress party," he said.
Ahead of the announcement of polling and counting dates for Karnataka, Amit Malviya took to Twitter to announce that the polling date would be May 12 and counting would be on May 18. However, following social media uproar on his knowledge of the dates prior to the official announcement, Malviya deleted the tweet.
On a related note, a delegation led by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is slated to meet EC officials in connection with Malviya's tweet on the Karnataka election dates.
The 224-member Karnataka Assembly will go to polls on May 12, and counting of votes will be held on May 15, as announced by Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat in a press conference held earlier today.
ANI
