KOLHAPUR: Election authorities from Sangli have filed a police complaint against Prithviraj Deshmukh, president of the district unit of BJP for violating code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections. Deshmukh was caught on camera offering Rs5 lakh as reward to party workers to ensure maximum lead in votes for MP Sanjay Patil.The complaint was filed with assistant election returning officer and tehsildar of Miraj Sharad Patil on directions from the district election authorities. Deshmukh, at a meeting with party workers at Miraj on Friday, offered party workers a reward of Rs 5 lakh in cash if they succeed in getting maximum lead in the votes for BJP candidate and sitting Member of Parliament Sanjay Patil.The video was shot by the election office and authorities saw the video, and then instructed that a police complaint be filed in the matter at the Miraj police station.A senior election officer of Sangli, on the condition of anonymity, said, “We found the statement made by Deshmukh in violation of the code of conduct prima facie since he is trying to lure voters. We have asked for a police complaint. A case will be registered if necessary after preliminary investigation.”In the video which has been accessed by TOI, one BJP worker asks what they will get if they work hard for the victory of the party candidate. Responding, Deshmukh paused and said they would get Rs 5 lakh as reward. More rewards would follow if they managed to get their candidate the maximum votes in the assembly segment, he said.BJP office bearers in Sangli said they had not yet received a copy of the complaint.

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