Adampur byelection
Badal violating code of conduct: Cong
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Oct 25 — The Congress has lodged a complaint against the SAD-BJP Government with the Chief Election Commission about the misuse of state machinery and violation of the code of conduct.

In a fax message to the Chief Election Commissioner, the general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Birdevinder Singh, has alleged that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and several ministers are touring the Adampur constituency in their official cars. The Chief Minister himself had used the government helicopter on October 22 for a visit violating the model code of conduct.

Questioning the recent appointment of Major Rajdeep Singh, elder brother of Mr C.D. Kamboj, President of the state BSP, the Congress leader said for the first time a non-IAS/PCS person had been appointed as General Manager-cum-Deputy Liaison Officer of Punjab Bhavan, New Delhi.

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded the cancellation of Major Rajdeep Singh's appointment. The PPCC also charged Mr C.D. Kamboj with entering into a clandestine understanding with the SAD-BJP by fielding a candidate to split the Scheduled Caste votes to the advantage of the ruling party candidate.

The Chief Election Commissioner has also been asked to direct the state government to hand over to the CBI the case concerning the release of Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, general secretary of the state BSP, who was booked for ransacking a police station in Garhshankar.

The Congress has also demanded the appointment of observers from outside the state.