Amit Shah tried to polarise votes in Mysuru, alleges Karnataka Congress, files complaint with Election Commission

The state unit of the party saw red over Amit Shah's meeting with the family of an RSS worker who was killed over a year ago.

Anant Kumar, Amit Shah and BS Yeddyurappa at a rally on Friday. (Image: Twitter/@AmitShah)

BJP president Amit Shah tried to polarise votes in Mysuru in poll-bound Karnataka by handing over a cheque to the family of a dead worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the state unit of the Congress has alleged. The Karnataka Congress has complained to the Election Commission that Shah has violated the Model Code of Conduct, and asked for action against him.

The Congress's letter to Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer said Amit Shah, former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa, Union Minister Anant Kumar and BJP MP Pratap Simha had on Friday visited the residence of Raju, an RSS worker who had been killed a year-and-half ago.

"At the time of his visit, he and the aforementioned leaders handed over a cheque of Rs 5,00,000/- to the deceased's family which is in gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct," read the Karnataka Congress's complaint.

"Mr Amit Shah has visited the State and particularly Mysuru many times before but had never made an effort to visit the family. Thus it is safe to presume in the light of ensuing elections, that the money was paid with an attempt to woo the voters (sic)," said the letter.

#Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee files complaint with Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah citing violation of model code of conduct;says Shah handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakhs to family of killed RSS worker Raju with an intention to polarise voters in Mysuru pic.twitter.com/1opS6GrI6E — ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2018

It also attached a copy of an advertisement carried in the Friday local edition of an English daily which announced the visit. "… it clearly shows that their intention was to gain sympathy and polarise votes," the letter read.

The Grand Old Party then asked for appropriate steps and criminal action to be taken against Shah and other leaders, claiming that their actions amount to bribery.

Amit Shah had posted to social media after he met Raju's family.

Visited the home of Late Shri Raju, our karyakarta from Kyathamaranahalli, Mysuru and paid condolences to the bereaved family. Entire BJP stands united with Raju's family. Such politics of violence must be uprooted from the peaceful land of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/PHEXptmx68 — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 30, 2018

"Visited the home of Late Shri Raju, our karyakarta from Kyathamaranahalli, Mysuru and paid condolences to the bereaved family. Entire BJP stands united with Raju's family. Such politics of violence must be uprooted from the peaceful land of Karnataka," his tweet read.