Mysore/Mysuru: Accusing the ruling BJP of spending huge sums of money in the Assembly bypolls held recently, former Chamarajanagar Congress MP R. Dhruvanarayan expressed concern that the BJP is planning to do the same in the upcoming Gram Panchayat polls.

Speaking to presspersons at Jaladarshini Guest House here on Saturday after a party meeting on GP poll preparations, Dhruvanarayan said the Congress has taken the GP polls seriously. Alleging that the BJP was blatantly misusing powers to win the GP polls by hook or crook, the former MP said that Congress workers must keep a round the clock watch on BJP’s money spending spree. Pointing out that the party has come with plans to win more than what it had secured five years ago, he said that it was the Congress who introduced the  Panchayat Raj  system. Charging the BJP of making attempts to weaken the GP system, he said that the party workers should ensure that Congress gets the upper hand in this election, which is vital for strengthening the party at the grassroot level.

Varuna MLA Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah alleged that the BJP, which has failed on all fronts, was planning to spend huge sums of money in the GP polls just as it did in the recently held Sira and R.R. Nagar by-polls.

Hunsur MLA H.P. Manjunath who also addressed the press meet, wanted the Election Commission to cap the spending for GP polls too. Expressing concern that the ruling BJP may blatantly misuse State official machinery to win the GP polls, he appealed the Election Commission to issue an order putting limits on poll expenditure.

MLA Anil Chikkamadu, MLC R. Dharmasena, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, former MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy, and others were present.