'Register FIRs against Nadda, Sonowal for ads predicting outcome of Assam polls'

New Delhi: With the BJP advertising claims of winning all seats in upper Assam, the Congress on Sunday said it is in violation of the Representation of the People Act and urged the Election Commission to register FIRs against BJP chief J P Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

In a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik sought directions and action against top BJP leaders for giving advertisements in newspapers claiming victory in all upper Assam seats.

They said such advertisements are in clear violation of the directions given by the EC that no one can make predictions of the results during the prohibited period.

"We pray to the EC to take all such actions as may be necessary and required in law, including direction for registration of offences against Sarbananda Sonowal, J P Nadda and Ranjit Kumar Dass for the blatant violation of Model Code of Conduct and the RP Act, 1951," the Congress stated.

The party also demanded action against the media publishing such advertisements.

Assam goes to polls in three phases and the first phase of polling was held on March 27.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after realising that their defeat is inevitable, has resorted to desperate illegal and unconstitutional methods to influence voters across the state," the Congress said in a memorandum to the poll body.

The Congress leaders alleged that in a "pre-planned conspiracy and in order to defraud the voters of Assam , Sonowal, Nadda, Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and other BJP members and functionaries "willfully and knowingly have today issued advertisements camouflaged as political predictions as headlines on front page, in various newspapers throughout Assam.

They said through such ads, the BJP leaders have disseminated "false/untrue outcome of the results" of the first phase of voting in Assam and have "falsely claimed that BJP will win all constituencies of upper Assam".

Surjewala told reporters that the advertisements have been presented in a manner on the front page of every newspaper "to prejudice the minds of the voters of Assam".