Congress Complaint against Odisha Governor Raghuvar Das, for Alleged Code Violation in Jharkhand
Ranchi: The Congress party has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Odisha Governor and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuvar Das, accusing him of influencing the Jharkhand election despite holding a constitutional position. The complaint alleges that Das is campaigning for his daughter-in-law, Purnima Das, the BJP candidate from Jamshedpur East. Congress claims this violates the Model Code of Conduct, and Congress candidate Dr. Ajoy Kumar has formally raised the issue with the Election Commission.
Request for Action by Election Commission
Congress candidate Dr. Ajoy Kumar has urged the Election Commission to intervene, stating that Raghuvar Das’s participation in campaign activities is concerning. He claimed that Das has attended booth committee meetings in Jamshedpur East and distributed campaign materials to the public, calling for the Election Commission to take steps to restrict the Governor’s involvement.
Allegations of Money Distribution
Dr. Ajoy Kumar further alleged in his letter to the Election Commission that Raghuvar Das has been distributing money at booths. He added that while Odisha faces a crisis with over a million people displaced from their homes, Das is allegedly focused on supporting his daughter-in-law’s campaign. Kumar emphasized that if Das wants to participate in the election, he should first resign from his constitutional role.
Background on Raghuvar Das’s Political Journey
Previously, Raghuvar Das lost his seat in the 2019 Jamshedpur East Assembly election while serving as Chief Minister, defeated by independent candidate Saryu Rai. However, he had won the same seat by a significant margin in the 2014 election and had held the seat since 1995, winning five times consecutively.