Andhra CM demands action against PM for his '40 TMC MLAs in touch with me’ remark

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday demanded that the Election Commission take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his claim that 40 lawmakers of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress were in touch with him. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief alleged that Modi's remarks made during campaigning in West Bengal amount to horse-trading and demanded the poll body to take action against him."Betraying the spirit of democracy, belittling the office of a Prime Minister, and touching the height of absurdity, the PM of India stooped so low and claimed that 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs are in touch with him," Naidu said in a series of tweets."This is nothing but horse trading, that too, when the election process is on and the model code of conduct is in force. The Election Commission of India shall immediately and suo-motu take cognizance of these shameful remarks by the Prime Minister and initiate action against him.""These comments vindicate our stand that, after destroying all the Institutions, the Prime Minister is now trying to destroy democracy itself," Naidu added. Modi on Monday claimed that 40 MLAs of West Bengals ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were in "touch" with him and would desert Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose party hit back by filing a "horse trading" complaint with the Election Commission against him. Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) will on Tuesday take a decision on complaints of alleged violations of model code of conduct (MCC) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congres President Rahul Gandhi and BJP President Amit Shah."Regarding the alleged complaints of violation of model code of conduct against senior leaders of two political parties, the Commission has already taken all the inputs and details and has scheduled a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) morning for taking a decision on each of the issues," Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar told the media on Monday. There are several complaints of alleged MCC violations against the three leaders. While Modi and Shah have been accused of making "hate speeches" and "using" armed forces for "political propaganda" during the Lok Sabha polls, there have also been complaints against Gandhi's use of "chowkidar chor hai" slogan.   IANS inputs