Congress: Stand vidicated by EC remarks on elections

New Delhi, Aug 18 (SURYAA): Reacting to Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat's remarks that "winning elections at all cost, without ethics, is the new normal in politics", the Congress on Friday said it stood vindicated on the issue.

"We said the same thing during the (August 8) Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat, wherein we pointed out that Congress MLAs were offered Rs 15 crore for voting against the Congress," Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said.

"Huge amount of money was being offered to buy MLAs in two states (Goa and Manipur) where the Congress won more seats than the Bharatiya Janata Party in assembly elections. Still, they managed to form their government in these states."

Rawat said on Thursday: "Democracy thrives when elections are free, fair, and transparent. However, it appears to a cynical common man that we have been scripting a narrative that places maximum premium on winning at all costs -- to the exclusion of ethical considerations."

He was speaking at an event organised by the Association of Democratic Reforms here.