The BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading misinformation about the Indian Constitution and attempting to incite divisions between states in the lead-up to Maharashtra’s Assembly elections.

A delegation from the ruling party met with the Chief Election Officer, requesting action against Rahul Gandhi for what they described as a “serious violation” of the Model Code of Conduct. The BJP also called for an FIR to be filed against him for allegedly making misleading statements.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, speaking to reporters in New Delhi, said, “A BJP delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner today, raising concern over comments made by Rahul Gandhi on November 6. During his campaign in Maharashtra, he once again tried to deceive the public by suggesting that the BJP intends to destroy the Constitution, a false claim intended to create rifts among states.”

Meghwal further alleged that Rahul Gandhi, while waving the Constitution at an election rally, falsely accused the BJP of undermining it. “We told the Election Commission this must be stopped. Rahul Gandhi has a pattern of making such statements despite warnings and notices,” Meghwal said, adding that the BJP has urged an FIR against Gandhi under Section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

The complaint centers on remarks Rahul Gandhi made during a November 6 rally in Mumbai, where he claimed that major industries, including Apple iPhones and Boeing airplanes, are being diverted to other states at the expense of Maharashtra. In his address, he also accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of seeking to dismantle the Indian Constitution.

Highlighting what he called a “battle of ideologies,” Gandhi said, “On one side, there is the BJP-RSS, and on the other, the INDIA alliance. One side stands for Ambedkar’s Constitution, promoting unity, equality, and respect, while the other, represented by BJP-RSS, seeks to undermine it. They hide their intentions, as openly declaring them would rally the country against them.”

Maharashtra’s 288-member Assembly is set to hold elections on November 20, with votes to be counted on November 23.