SHILLONG: South Shillong Congress candidate Manas Chaudhuri has replied to the returning officer denying the charge of violating Model Code of Conduct by the opponent, Sanbor Shullai .
In his reply to the showcause notice, Chaudhuri said that no new cards were issued since the Election Code of Conduct was announced on January 31.
The allegation by the opponent was that Chaudhuri was distributing free ration and issuing identity cards to BPL families.
However, Chaudhuri said this is a politically motivated, mischievous charge devoid of truth.
He said the (Ardhendu Chaudhuri Charitable Trust had introduced a novel scheme of assisting the poor families through distribution of certain essential commodities like rice, dal, and mustard oil way back in 2012.
Two grocery shops are providing the items and they are Rilbong Cooperative Stores Limited and Shyam Store, Laban
The last lot of the cards were distributed at a public function in January, before the Model Code of Conduct was enforced, Chaudhuri said .
According to the candidate, recently ,the Trust has engaged Pradip Rana, who runs a grocery shop at Jhalupara for servicing the beneficiaries of those areas in view of the fact that these beneficiaries find it difficult to carry the articles all the way from Rilbong, the nearest designated grocery shop for them under the Scheme. Thus 52 cards of the beneficiaries of Jhalupara and adjoining areas were transferred from Rilbong Cooperative Store to Pradip Rana, Jhalupara, he said
“In view of the facts mentioned, I completely deny the charge of violating the election model code of conduct as leveled by one of my political rivals”, Chaudhuri said.
He also urged the returning officer to drop the charge and remove the air of confusion being created due to vested political interest.
