New Delhi: The BJP contends that members of the Congress party and other entities within the INDIA coalition are engaging in aggressive and menacing tactics. On Thursday, the BJP implored the Election Commission to act without delay in response to recent statements made by these groups.

Shehzad Poonawalla, national spokesperson for the party, voiced concerns during a press briefing at the BJP’s headquarters. He highlighted that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) representative Nazrul Islam had allegedly stated an intent to inter Prime Minister Narendra Modi “400 feet beneath the ground.”

Poonawalla expressed dismay at Islam’s statements, suggesting that such remarks reflect an affront to the nation’s collective will. He called on the Election Commission to intervene and address the matter posthaste.

“This abuse-laden and coercive political approach appears to be a deliberate strategy by the opposition,” Poonawalla remarked. He also referred to comments made by a Congress candidate threatening Modi’s life, suggesting the presence of a coordinated plan.

In response, Nazrul Islam later issued an apology, explaining that his comments were not meant to offend. He elaborated that his intention was to question Modi’s assertion about securing 400 seats in the upcoming elections.

The BJP’s Jharkhand branch demanded a comprehensive investigation into Islam’s remarks, along with his arrest. Poonawalla also accused Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of pressuring a residential complex, threatening to cut off water supplies if they did not support his brother, DK Suresh.

Similarly, Karnataka Minister D Sudhakar allegedly warned that a grant of Rs 25 crore would be withheld unless the electorate backed the Congress candidate. Poonawalla decried these actions as violations of the electoral code of conduct and the Representation of the People Act.

He called on the Election Commission to swiftly address these violations by DK Shivakumar and other Karnataka officials. The BJP’s Karnataka faction lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission against Sudhakar, citing his comments during a speech in Nayakanahatti village, Chitradurga district.