Vote for Yogi or be bulldozed: BJP MLA gets EC notice for 'threatening voters' in UP

New Delhi, Feb 16: The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to BJP leader T Raja Singh for allegedly threatening people to vote for his party in Uttar Pradesh.

The Commission has given him 24 hours to respond to the notice.

The notice said the BJP MLA from Telangana has prima facie violated provisions of the poll code, the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act. The poll panel cited a video clip of Raja Singh's purported remarks while issuing him the notice.

BJP MLA in Telangana T Raja Singh on Tuesday triggered a controversy with his comments that those "traitors" who did not vote in support of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will have repercussions post elections.

Observing that those opposed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appeared to have voted in large numbers in some areas in the second phase of polling on Monday resulting in "highest polling", he appealed to the Hindu voters in UP to come out and vote in the third phase.

In a video, he said he would like to tell those who do not want Yogi Adityanath to return to power that they have to leave the state if they do not support the leadership of the CM.

"And those who do not vote for BJP, I would like to tell them that Yogi ji has ordered JCBs and bulldozers in thousands. They are moving towards Uttar Pradesh. After elections, those who did not support Yogi ji, those areas will be identified. You know what JCBs and bulldozers are used for," Singh, MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad, said.

"So, I would like to tell those traitors in UP who do not want Yogi ji to return to power, that you have to say Yogi, Yogi, if you have to live in UP. Otherwise, you people will have to leave Uttar Pradesh and go," he said.

Singh is known for his strong views in support of Hindutva.