The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that the Congress party had disseminated misleading, unverified, and defamatory advertisements in prominent newspapers. In a letter addressed to the ECI, the BJP highlighted the publication of false and defamatory news advertisements by the Congress party on April 24, just two days before the election.
The BJP accused the Congress of publishing an advertisement titled ‘Chambu,’ insinuating that the Central Government had deceived the state of Karnataka. The term ‘Chambu’ is colloquially used to imply being cheated or given empty promises. The BJP asserted that the Congress deliberately aimed to prejudice voters’ minds and influence the election outcome by disseminating baseless allegations.
The BJP also provided examples of the advertisements published in prominent newspapers. They argued that the Congress, despite being aware of accurate statistics, knowingly fabricated the advertisements to sway voter opinion.
The BJP contended that such advertisements violated the Model Code of Conduct and the Representation of the People Act, potentially impacting the election outcome. Karnataka is set to vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7, with counting scheduled for June 4. The BJP had previously demonstrated significant electoral success in the state, winning 25 out of 28 seats in the 2019 general elections.
