BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh of misusing official machinery during the campaign for the zilla and taluk panchayat elections and urged Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to "dismiss him from the post."

The party's national General Secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP, told presspersons here on Tuesday that Mr. Dharam Singh had announced a number of policy decisions during the run-up to the elections. A BJP delegation will meet the Governor in a day or two and submit a memorandum demanding the dismissal of Mr. Dharam Singh, he said. The delegation will also meet State Election Commissioner M.R. Hegde and the Election Commission of India and demand action against the coalition government for violating the model code of conduct. The State Election Commission has already ordered the Government to keep three decisions in abeyance till the completion of the elections.

The BJP alleged that the ruling parties, particularly the Congress, are using official vehicles and conducting election meetings in school and college grounds.

A holiday was declared for college students in Manvi in Raichur district to use the college grounds to conduct an election meeting, the party charged.

Liquor and money are being distributed on a large scale during the campaign in the rural areas to influence voters, Mr. Kumar said.

Earlier, R. Ashok and Narayanaswamy, MLAs, and Mr. Kumar addressed the public at Bannerghatta Circle and blamed the Government for the pathetic condition of roads all over Bangalore Urban district.

The Congress and Janata Dal (S) are friends in the Secretariat and fighting in the streets (Vidhana Soudhadalli dosti, horage kusti). The parties have not kept their promises made in their manifestos. In fact the quantity of foodgrains being distributed through the public distribution system has been reduced, they said.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu