Congress accuses RR Nagar BJP candidate Munirathna of bribing voters
Bengaluru: The Congress on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the BJP's Rajarajeshwari Nagar candidate Munirathna alleging that he was bribing voters by distributing free set-top boxes of his cable network and beaming his photo on television sets.
Reacting to the complaint, Munirathna said he was into the cable business and it is his profession.
Terming Munirathna's statement as a confession, state Congress chief D K Shivakumar said "If at all the Election Commission is alive and is keen on giving legal protection, then it should initiate action."
In his complaint, the Congress working president Saleem Ahmed said Munirathna has been violating the model code of conduct by using his cable network.
Claiming that Munirathna has distributed more than 50,000 set-top boxes to the voters of the constituency, Ahmed said "Muniratna has already spent more than Rs five crore for this purpose..."
"He has been bribing the voters by promising them free cable TV services and is continuing to cast influence over them as his name and photo are displayed in the television and set-top boxes as evidenced in the video recording annexed herewith," the Congress leader stated in his complaint.
Speaking to reporters at RR Nagar, Munirathna said, "..(cable network) is my profession. He (D K Shivakumar) too has a cable network. He too is a businessman. Both of us are into the cable business."
The BJP candidate added that the complaint lodged by Congress applied to Shivakumar as well because the law applies to both equally.
The Congress, BJP, and the JD(S) are the major parties contesting the November 3 RR Nagar assembly by-election.
The Congress has fielded H Kusuma against Munirathna, whereas JD(S) has fielded V Krishnamurthy in RR Nagar
The seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Congress MLA Munirathna, who is now with the BJP, under the anti-defection law last year.
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UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
