Raipur:
The Chhattisgarh Election Commission has proposed addition of expenses incurred during Baba Ramdev's recent visit to the state in the election expenditure account of BJP, as his speeches during this period allegedly amounted to campaign in favour of the ruling party.
"We have proposed to add the entire expenditure incurred in the meetings held by Baba Ramdev during his recent visit to the state to the election expenditure account of BJP," Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kujur told PTI today.
In wake of Ramdev's public meetings in different districts of the state, Congress and a regional party 'Swabhiman Manch' had complained that he is using his platform to campaign for BJP, citing it as a violation of model code of conduct, Kujur said.
After checking the video recordings of the yoga guru's meetings and other investigations, the Commission found that although he had taken formal permission for conducting voter awareness campaign and yoga camp, but his speech during the events could be considered as election campaign in BJP's favour, he said.
On the basis of the findings, a proposal has been sent to the Election Commission of India, Delhi, asking to add the expenses of the meeting of Baba Ramdev in the expenditure of the ruling party in Chhattisgarh, he said.
Baba Ramdev was on the tour of five districts - Durg, Bemetara, Kawardha, Rajnandgaon and Korea - for conducting voter awareness campaign and yoga camps in nearly 15 constituencies of the state from October 3-8.
The model code of conduct came into force in the state on October 4 evening after the announcement of the poll schedule for five states, including Chhattisgarh.
Alleging that during his campaign Ramdev praised BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress and a regional party had complained to the Election Commission.