From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 1: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwara demanded the Election Commission to keep a watch on the “malpractices” by the ruling BJP in the ensuring Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha bypoll like bribing voters in cash and kind as it was a prestige issue for the Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to retain the seat held by him.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Parameshwara expressed serious concern over the possible misuse of official machinery by the ruling party.

He said that the Congress workers from the constituency had informed him that police personnel in mufti were moving around the area and were likely to be used by the party as a conduit for transporting money and material to be distributed to the voters.

Dr Parameshwara appealed to the JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, MP to withdraw their candidate and support the Congress candidate K Jayaprakash Hegde to avoid division in secular votes and defeat the BJP, known for its communal politics.

The Congress leader demanded resignation of Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah following indictment by the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court for felling trees in Pushpagiri, Brahmagiri and Kadamakal forests in Kodagu district and constructing roads, violating Forest Conservation Act and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Coming down on heavily against Bopaiah for not disqualifying three former ministers from the Assembly membership for watching porn clippings in a mobile phone in the House, Dr Parameswara criticised the decision of the house committee to interrogate television channel photographers/reporters for taking pictures for telecasting them.