Centre trying to intimidate Congress MLAs, party tells EC

New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday complained to the Election Commission (EC) against the Centre for conducting raids at Karnataka Minister D.K. Shivakumar's residences and a private resort where 44 Gujarat Congress legislators are housed.

Urging the Election Commission to ensure the "safety and security" of its Gujarat lawmakers, the Congress said the Centre was using central forces on the pretext of Income Tax investigation to intimidate the Congress MLAs.

In a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Congress said: "We are deeply disturbed by the sudden turn of events today (Wednesday) which has been orchestrated by the ruling dispensation to intimidate and coerce Congress MLAs from Gujarat who are currently in Bengaluru because of severe threats to their safety and seurity in Gujarat where Rajya Sabha elections are due on August 8."

The Congress delegation to the EC was led by Kapil Sibal, who was accompanied by Rajiv Shukla, Manish Tewari, Vivek Tankha and Randeep Singh Surjewala.

"The use of central forces in Income Tax investigations is a new low being resorted to by the BJP government in their desperate quest to intimidate and coerce the Congress MLAs from Gujarat to toe the BJP line," read the memorandum.

The Congress also urged the EC to immediately issue appropriate directions to ensure that the safety and security of the MLAs was not jeopardised and their liberties protected to enbale them to cast their votes as per their wish.