SAD writes to EC for code in wake of CM's 'yatra'

Chandigarh, Nov 10 (UNI) Pointing out the heavy government expenditure on the Punjab Chief Minister's ongoing 'vikas yatra', Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today urged Election Commission (EC) to impose election code in the state, which would undergo assembly polls in three months from now.

The SAD has also demanded strict action by the EC against the state government for spending crores of rupees on advertisements of 'Punjab vikas yatra', besides misusing the government machinery and squandering of precious public money for the election campaign of ruling Congress, said SAD secretary Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema here, adding that a communique in this regard has been sent to the EC.

The SAD alleged that this 'yatra' had been planned by the ruling Congress keeping in view the general elections to the state assembly, due in February, 2007. The Opposition party pointed out that this procession was being led jointly by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Pradesh Congress president Shamsher Singh Dullo.

''Both of them are addressing the gatherings from the same platform and delivering purely political speeches and the expense of the public money and the state ex-chequer,'' Dr Cheema said.

The copy of the letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner has also been sent to the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer.

''It is distressing to note that, though the yatra is a full fledged Congress campaign, the state Public Relations Department is bearing the cost of the whole advertisement campaign running into crores of rupees,'' the letter addressed to the CEC stated. The SAD pointed out that the PR department had issued large sized advertisements highlighting the schedule of this programme in various leading newspapers of November seven and nine and in addition, half-page daily advertisements were being issued in all leading newspapers to give mass publicity to this event.

The party strongly objected to the way the whole state machinery had been pressed into service to mobilise crowds as well. ''Even the schoolchildren are being compelled to line up along the roads to welcome the yatra,'' the SAD Secretray said.

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