The Congress moved the Election Commission on Saturday seeking action against Shimoga BJP MP BY Raghavendra and Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi for “forcing” two JD(S) candidates to withdraw from the bypoll fray. 

The party also sought action against Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai for not allowing his vehicle to be checked by surveillance teams.

In a complaint, the Congress accused Raghavendra, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son, and Savadi, of coercing JD(S) candidates Shivalinga Shivacharya Swami (Hirekerur) and Guru Dashyal (Athani) into withdrawing their nominations.

The Congress claimed that Raghavendra promised “huge financial help to the activities of the Mutt” in order to get the seer to withdraw, whereas Dashyal was promised “an appointment as chairman of a board/corporation/state government undertaking” by Savadi. 

Bommai, the Congress charged, defied surveillance officers’ signal to stop his vehicle while he was crossing the Mandya border “as he was carrying huge amount of cash in his vehicle to distribute among voters of KR Pet and Hunsur constituencies.”