UP polls: BJP moves election commission on Akhilesh Yadav's smartphone offer
He added even though phones will be distributed if the SP wins and in the latter half of 2017, the move was encouraging' people to vote.
Meerut: BJP on Thursday moved the Election Commission against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's announcement of free smartphones for the poor, claiming it violates the Model Code of Conduct.
BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal, in a letter to the Election Commission, alleged that Mr Yadav's freebie scheme, announced just before the 2017 UP elections, was in clear violation of the model code conduct because it is aimed at luring people into voting for the Samajwadi Party.
"(Akhilesh) Yadav himself has appealed people to register for phones. The scheme's purpose is to ensure (Samajwadi Party) SP's win in the elections," he said.
He added even though phones will be distributed if the SP wins and in the latter half of 2017, the move was "encouraging" people to vote for it.
Online registration for phones begin next month and so the Election Commission must act fast to stop this process and ensure free and fair elections in UP, he said.
Mr Agarwal alleged Samajwadi Party leaders were announcing the scheme in election campaigns and propaganda material, which was too in violation of the model code of conduct.