BJP seeks disqualification of Bellary MP Tukaram

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday urged the Election Commission of India to disqualify Congress Bellary Lok Sabha member E Tukaram, alleging illegal money was used to influence voters in his constituency during Parliament elections, and he did not show the actual expenditure incurred in the election.

In a memorandum to the poll panel, the Karnataka BJP delegation led by its president B Y Vijayendra, alleged that Tukaram used "money siphoned from the Karnataka Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited" to influence voters in his constituency during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

The BJP claimed that Rs 187 crore was siphoned from the Valmiki Development Corporation Limited and used by the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections in the state and elsewhere. "This has been exposed," he told reporters, referring to the findings of an Enforcement Directorate probe into the case.

"We have requested the election commission to initiate action. Since the elected Member of Parliament E Tukaram has violated all the norms and exceeded the limit of expenditure also, we requested the Election Commission to take serious note of it and disqualify him," Vijayendra added.