The Congress on Monday accused ruling BJP leaders of violating the poll code ahead of the UP Assembly elections and asked if the Election Commission is under pressure. Naseemuddin Siddiqui, chief of the UP Congress media cell, claimed while his party’s event in Bahraich was not allowed allegedly due to poll code violation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s door-to-door campaign in Kairana took place despite the presence of a large number of people.

“The administration appears to be under pressure but is the (Election) Commission also under pressure,” he asked while talking to reporters.

Referring to a programme organised by the Congress in Bahraich on Sunday to pay respects to freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, Siddiqui said, “We had a programme in a closed hall and even before it could start, the administration reached there and stopped it, saying permission has not been taken.”

“Is paying homage or garlanding the statue of a great leader violation of model code,” Siddiqui asked.

“There were only 90 people in the programme, which was not even held and I have been told that a complaint has been given by police in this regard,” Siddiqui said, questioning how large number number of people are being allowed in programmes organised by the BJP.

We will complain to the Election Commission about it, he said.

Referring to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s programme in Shamli on Saturday, he said the leader was on a door-to-door campaign in Kairana with thousands of people present around him.

The Congress leader also rejected opinion polls.

When asked about the party denying ticket to Angad Singh in Punjab after his wife and UP MLA Aditi Singh made remarks against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Siddiqui asked not to drag the party or the Congress leader into “household matters”.

Aditi Singh had recently joined the BJP.

To another question on some women in the party complaining that they have not been fielded in the coming polls, Siddiqui said ticket allotment is not the only means to take women forward.