Picking umpires, jailing players

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in match-fixing by 'choosing umpires' and 'putting players behind bars' ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the INDIA bloc's mega rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, the former Congress chief said this is not an ordinary election but one to save country's democracy and Constitution.

Gandhi claimed that if the BJP wins the election through match-fixing and changes the Constitution, then the country would not be saved and "there will be fire everywhere".

"When umpires are pressurised, players are bought, and captains are threatened to win matches, it is called match-fixing in cricket. We have Lok Sabha polls before us; umpires were chosen by PM Modi.

Two players from our team have been arrested before the match," said the Congress leader. "This election is not just about votes it is to save the country and the Constitution," he added.

Rahul also accused the saffron party of trying to undermine and financially cripple the Opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "We have to run campaigns, send workers to states, put up posters, but all our bank accounts have been closed. What kind of election is this?" he said.

The Congress MP also claimed that the BJP, in order to ensure that the Opposition is not able to contest elections, has "installed their own people in the Election Commission" and is putting "pressure on the judiciary."

"A BJP MP said 'we will change the Constitution when we get over 400 seats," Gandhi said, and urged the voters to "save the country and Constitution."