Monday, January 31 2005 16:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhagalpur: BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jan 31, 2005) petitioned the Election Commission seeking RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) president Laloo Prasad's arrest and de-recognition of his party as several "communal" posters holding BJP responsible for the Godhra train blaze and subsequent riot in Gujarat were found pasted on the walls in some localities and RJD offices in Bhagalpur.

Several posters of a man crying with Laloo's photograph proclaiming him as the saviour of Muslims holding the BJP responsible for the Godhra incident and its aftermath were found pasted on walls in Muslim-dominated areas in Bhagalpur town and Nathnagar Assembly constituency.

Taking serious exception to such posters BJP moved the EC seeking immediate arrest of Laloo and de-recognition of his RJD for violating the model code of conduct for elections once again, party's legislature party leader Ashwini Kumar Chaubey said.

''It is highly objectionable that such posters have been put up despite the EC directive not to exploit religion for electoral politics'', Chaubey told sources in Bhagalpur.

He said RJD had done this to create ''fresh terror'' among the minorities.

When contacted RJD secretary general and MP Ramkripal Yadav told sources in Patna that ''to our knowledge, there is nothing objectionable about the posters and BJP is raising a hue and cry over it as a certain defeat stares it in the face''.