EC failing by not acting against PM, says P Chidambaram

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday accused the Election Commission (EC) of ‘failing’ the people of the country, alleging that it was partisan and reluctant to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for poll code violations.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai Congress office, Mr Chidambaram, who was accompanied by the state Congress president Ashok Chavan, also said that as much as Rs 10 crore is spent on every rally of the Prime Minister.

He alleged, “Unpreceden-ted expenses for the PM’s rallies. About Rs 10 crore is spent on each rally. The EC is failing the people of the country.”

The Congress leader claimed that his party and the allies have a significant lead over the BJP-led NDA at the end of the first three phases of Lok Sabha polls, wherein voting has taken place in 303 constituencies.

His remarks come a day after Mr Modi claimed that the Congress wouldn’t get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

On questioning him about the same, he said, “One can’t stop anybody from dreaming. Modi dreams not only when he is asleep, but also when he is awake.”

Mr Chavan, who was also present at the press conference, demanded that the EC probe Friday’s incident in Dhule where a box was brought out of an aircraft ferrying Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu.” “The box surely didn’t contain mangoes. It was something more. The EC should take cognisance of the matter and should investigate it.”

On Friday, speaking with reporters in Shirdi, Mr Prabhu had dismissed a video clip which claimed that a mysterious box was taken out of a plane carrying him when it landed in Dhule. Responding to a question about the clip and the accompanying message which alleged that the box contained “Rs 15 crore”.