Congress files complaint against Parrikar

Panaji, April 12 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s appeal on Facebook Saturday asking voters to cast their ballots in favour of the BJP candidates, has attracted controversy here.

The Congress complained to the chief electoral officer accusing Parrikar of violating the poll guidelines by canvassing for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on polling day.

"There has been continuous violation of the model code of conduct by the chief minister. He started the campaign April 12 over Facebook, using it as a medium to influence voters," Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said in his complaint to the election officials.

"As Goa goes to polls today (Saturday), come out in large numbers and cast your vote in favour of Shripad Naik in North Goa and Narendra Savoikar in South Goa… Vote for the BJP… Vote for Goa… Vote for India," Parrikar said in his appeal on Facebook.

The Facebook post, which has been liked by over 1800 followers of the chief minister, interestingly did not mention the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who is otherwise omnipresent in all poll paraphernalia and campaign appeals of the BJP everywhere else in the country.