Mangaluru, Nov 17, 2022: Addressing a press meet in the city former minister B. Ramanath Rai alleged that the BJP government is misusing the administration system as the assembly election is fast approaching in the state.

Giving an instance of alleged misuse of power, Mr. Rai said an MLA in the district hosted a lavish lunch for anganwadi workers, who also work as booth-level officers (BLOs) during the preparation of electoral rolls as well as during conduct of elections. The reason cited was recognition of their contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Covid-19 pandemic had ended long ago, and the lunch was nothing but an attempt to influence the BLOs who are now busy with revision of electoral rolls, Mr. Rai alleged.

Even during the recent programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mangaluru, the government had directed panchayat development officers to ferry beneficiaries of government schemes to the programme venue, which Mr. Rai cited as another example of alleged misuse of power.

“At a time when elections are approaching, the BJP is increasingly misusing government machinery,” the former Minister alleged.