Legal Notice Issued to Shashi Tharoor by Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has sent a legal notice for defamation to his Congress counterpart, Shashi Tharoor. The notice accuses Tharoor of spreading false information and propaganda among the city's voters.
The legal notice stems from an interview Tharoor gave to the Malayalam news channel "24 News" on April 6, 2024. In the interview, Tharoor alleged that Chandrasekhar was bribing voters and influential figures, including parish priests, to win the upcoming elections.
Chandrasekhar's legal notice refutes these allegations as "totally and completely false." The notice further states that Tharoor's statements were made with "clear mala fide intent" to tarnish Chandrasekhar's reputation and gain an unfair advantage in the elections.
The notice demands that Tharoor withdraw his allegations and issue an unconditional public apology to Chandrasekhar through print and electronic media.
This legal action comes shortly after Tharoor violated Rule I(2) of the Model Code of Conduct, which prohibits political candidates from making criticisms based on "unverified allegations or distortion."
There is no evidence to support Tharoor's claims that Chandrasekhar sent money to influential voters without revealing their identities. The legal notice expresses concern that Tharoor's allegations are intended to influence voters and subvert the process of free and fair elections.
The notice further states that Tharoor's agents, supporters, and party members are spreading these false allegations through social media and messaging apps.