Jabalpur, Jul 9 (IANS): A petition was filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court here on Tuesday against BJP's Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur for seeking votes on the name of religion during the recent Lok Sabha election.

Rakesh Dixit, a Bhopal-based journalist, filed the petition challenging the election of Thakur on the grounds that she whipped up communal passions and indulged in corrupt practices to win the polls.

Thakur delivered speeches on religious lines during electioneering and violated provisions of section 123 of Representation of People Act, said his counsel Arvind Srivastava.

Nineteen election petitions, most of them raising doubts on the functioning of EVMs, were filed by losing Congress candidates challenging the election of BJP Lok Sabha MPs, on the last day stipulated for such appeals.

Among 16 defeated Congress candidates, former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria from Ratlam seat has filed the election petition against BJP MP, Guman Singh Domar alleging corrupt practices.

The BJP swept the general election in Madhya Pradesh, winning 28 out of 29 seats.