Deve Gowda worried over free and fair poll, accuses chief secretary of favouring Cong

HASSAN: Expressing displeasure over the monitoring of the poll code of conduct in Hassan, former Prime Minister and JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda on Wednesday alleged that Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha was favouring the ruling Congress party since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had extended her term by three months after her retirement on March 31. He demanded that another honest official be deputed along with Mrs Ratna Prabha for holding free and fair elections.

Speaking at Arkalgud taluk in Hassan where he was to campaign for his party nominee, Gowda accused the state government of clearing files without caring for the Model Code of Conduct in force and did not spare the Election Commission of India (ECI) either saying that the Commission was acting at a snail’s pace on electoral offences.

Karnataka is the only state going to elections in the country now, he said and wanted the ECI to swing into action to effectively monitor the code of conduct. “Let the Deputy Commissioner who is also the District Election Officer act against JD(S) if any wrongdoing comes to her notice,” he said and also demanded that a Special Team be dispatched to Hassan for holding elections in an impartial manner.

Lashing out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr Gowda said the CM does not care for the code of conduct and added that the law and order situation has deteriorated in Hassan. The ruling party has been violating all rules and committing electoral offences in the district, he alleged, in its bid to win all seven seats in Hassan.