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Gujral's NE package creates storm

The Election Commission today refused to comment on whether or not Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's reported announcement about a Rs 75 billion North-East economic package amounted to a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The issue has to be resolved by President K R Narayanan and Gujral who has been appointed the caretaker prime minister by the former, Chief Election Commissioner Dr M S Gill said.

In response to another query, Dr Gill said the Commission had already started enforcing the MCC by directing the state governments not to transfer senior officials.

Dr Gill, however, agreed to look into the Bharatiya Janata Party's complaint that the ruling Asom Gana Parishad abused the official machinery for the prime minister's rally at Guwahati.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also criticised Gujral for announcing a package for the North-East.

The MCC, she said, should be enforced immediately since it had been decided to hold a mid-term poll by March 15.

RELATED REPORT:
Many concessions for NE in industrial policy: PM

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