The Hindu : An inadvertent error, Congress tells EC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 25, 2003

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National

An inadvertent error, Congress tells EC

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 24. The Congress today admitted that the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, and the Speaker, Srinivas Tiwari, had used the State aircraft twice between October 6 and 12 — the dates specified by the Election Commission in its show cause notice to the party last week — but has apparently taken the plea that it was an "inadvertent error."

The party spokesman, Anand Sharma, told presspersons that Mr. Jogi sent his response to the AICC today and it had been forwarded to the Election Commission. The "one or two" instances when Mr. Jogi and the Speaker had used the State aircraft after the announcement of polls, he said, were not for election purposes but for official duty.

Party sources said the two Chhattisgarh leaders used the State aircraft only for official purposes because they had to reach "far-flung" areas. "Even if there was a breach of the model code of conduct, it was an inadvertent error and bona fide mistake," said a leader.

Meanwhile, the Congress took great offence at the BJP's allegations that its president, Sonia Gandhi was involved in the Telgi scam. "It reflects their perverted mindset," Mr. Sharma said, pointing out that Ms. Gandhi had, herself, written to the Prime Minister seeking an inquiry into it.

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