Friday, December 24 2004 17:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Caught in a storm over allegations of bribing electorate, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) chief Laloo Prasad today (Dec 24, 2004) beat the Election Commission deadline and filed his reply to its threat of de-recognition claiming he had not violated the Model Code of Conduct.

"I have submitted the reply in writing. I have told them the truth," he told reporters after nearly an hour-long meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy in New Delhi.

On Monday (Dec 20, 2004), the Commission had issued a show cause notice to him seeking his reply as to why his party should not be derecognised for "disregarding and failing" to abide by the model code of conduct and its lawful directions to ensure free and fair polls. It had asked him to file the reply by 15:00 hours today.

Claiming neither he nor his partymen had violated the model code of conduct, Laloo sounded defensive saying, "We have always respected the decisions of the Commission. We have never given any bribe to anyone." "Whatever we have to say we have told the Commission," Laloo said refusing to take further questions on the issue.

On his demand for one-day poll in State, he said the Commission told him it faced a problem of the availability of para-military forces for conducting the polls on a single day.

"Since the three-phased elections anyway end on February 23, there is no problem presenting the Railway Budget, Laloo said.

To a question, he said the Commission had not banned the rally but he himself cancelled it to avoid any embarrassment to anyone.

Taking suo motu action on the alleged distribution of money to electorate, the Commission had directed the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer K C Saha to file an FIR under Section 171(B) of the Indian Penal Code relating to the offence of bribery.