Ruling Cong Govt charged with violating model code of conduct
An act to gain public sympathy in case of re-poll: MPP
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 09, 2012:
The ruling Congress government is alleged to have committed a big blunder by convening a Cabinet meeting yesterday with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in the chair and announcing the decisions of the meeting to the general public.
Various political parties have contended that the yesterday's Cabinet meeting was in gross violation of the election code of conduct which is still in force in the state.
Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, President of Nationalist Congress Party Radhabinod Koijam, who is not only a veteran politician but also a former Chief Minister of the state, asserted that since there are no big issue threatening the people of the state presently nor any emergency have been declared, yesterday's Cabinet sitting and making known the proceedings to the public was a clear case of violating the election code of conduct.
S Umananda, President in-charge of MPP, pointed out that although re-poll had been done in 34 polling stations of the hill districts, many complaints from various political parties for re-poll are still pending not only with ECI but cases have been filed in the court.
So, conducting a Cabinet sitting at this point of time was meant to gain public sympathy by the Congress party.
In case there is any re-poll, then it would be turning point for the Congress, Umananda maintained.
He further observed that conducting a Cabinet sitting at this juncture and trying to gain public sympathy was really surprising.
Since the issues discussed in the Cabinet meeting were not something that merit emergency tag, such discussions were not permissible while the model code of conduct is still in force.
The BJP has also sharply reacted to the Cabinet meeting and contended that it was a clear case of violating the election code of conduct.
ECI should take up stern action against the Congress in this regard, the party demanded.