Karnataka BJP MLA gets EC notice over 'vishkanya' remark against Sonia Gandhi

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal for his “vishkanya” jibe at former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

The EC notice said Yatnal has prima facie violated provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

The notice comes a day after a strong advisory was issued by the poll panel asking parties and their leaders to exercise restraint in their utterances during electioneering in Karnataka.

Yatnal has been asked to explain by 5 pm Thursday as to why action should not be taken against him.

The is BJP’s star campaigner and a candidate from Bijapur City.

In its notice to Yatnal, District Election Officer Koppal said “a personal attack remark against a rival party leader is found to be made by you …which is in violation of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.”

The EC had taken cognisance of Yatnal’s statement through media reports, PTI reported.

The poll body on Wednesday also issued a notice to Congress leader Priyank Kharge for his ‘nalayak’ remark against PM Narendra Modi. Priyank is the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Taking serious note of the “plummeting level of campaign discourse” during electioneering in Karnataka, the Election Commission on Tuesday asked political parties and their star campaigners to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances and not to vitiate the election atmosphere.

The poll panel also referred to the instances of “inappropriate vocabulary and language” used during the ongoing campaign by people, “in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner”.

“Such instances have occasioned various complaints, cross complaints and have also attracted negative media attention,” the EC said in a statement.

The Congress and the BJP have engaged in a war of words as the campaigning for the 10 May polls gather steam.

With inputs from PTI

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