From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 8: The ruling Congress party on Saturday alleged that State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has violated the model code of conduct by distributing cash of Rs 1 lac to a woman in Gundlupet constituency and demanded the Election Commission of India to book a case against him.

Addressing presspersons here, MLC and Congress leader V S Ugrappa alleged that Yeddyurappa and former Minister and BJP Leader M P Renukacharya have induced voters by distributing cash in the constituency.

In one instance, Yeddyurappa had paid Rs 1 lac cash to a widow in the guise of the helping the poor family on humanitarian grounds. It was alleged that husband of the woman committed suicide following crop loss. However, the woman is the voter in the Gundlupet constituency which would go to polls on Sunday.

Ugrappa said Yeddyurappa could have paid the cash to the woman after declaration of the poll result on April 13.

The BJP leaders were found giving cash to the people which amounts to bribing the voters under section 171B of the IPC and also a corrupt practice under the section 123 (1) of RP Act of 1951, the Congress said in a petition Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha.

Ugrappa said former minister Renukacharya along with BJP party workers carrying cash of Rs 5 lacfor distributing money to the Gundlupet Assembly constituency voters.

The Congress urged the Election Commission to initiate action against the BJP Leaders who come in the way of ensuring free and fair elections in the constituency.

Helping a farmer's family, nothing to do with bypolls: Yeddyurappa

Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa was in the midst of a controversy today with a video footage of him handing over money to a farmer's family doing the rounds, ahead of the bypolls to two assembly constituencies.

Responding to the attack by the ruling Congress, Yeddyurappa said he was giving relief of Rs one lac to the family of a farmer, who had committed suicide recently, and that it had nothing to do with elections to Gundlupet and Nanjangud tomorrow. The video shows Yeddurappa interacting with the family members before handing over the money to them.

Someone present at the spot can also be heard asking cameramen not to record and switch off their cameras. "On behalf of the party, we have given Rs 1 lac donation. We were about to leave before 5 PM (when the campaigning ends). Renukacharya (former minister) had already come here a couple of days backand had spent time with them and collected information," Yeddyurappa told reporters.

"If this government has any shame ordecency, a minister should have visited this place with Rs 10 lac cheque. This government has no humanity," he alleged.

Yeddyurappa had yesterday visited Voddana Hosahalli village in poll-bound Gundlupet constituency and met the family of deceased farmer Chikkamada Shetty.

With PTI Inputs